Family DIAPRIIDAE
Compiler and date details
N.B. Stevens, M. Iqbal & A.D. Austin, Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity and the Department of Applied and Molecular Ecology, Waite Campus, Adelaide University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Introduction
The Diapriidae is the largest family of Proctotrupoidea, comprising more than 80% of species in the superfamily (Naumann 1991; Masner 1993). Diapriids vary from less than 1 mm to about 7 mm in length and are readily identified by the shelf into which the antennae are inserted, and their reduced wing venation.
Diapriids are most diverse in lower vegetation and leaf-litter, particularly in moist habitats where they parasitise various dipteran and, rarely, other hosts.
The family comprises four subfamilies, all of which are represented in Australia. Worldwide, diapriids are in urgent need of taxonomic revision, particularly at the generic level. The Australian fauna is highly endemic, mostly undescribed and probably consists of more than 500 species. Wing reduction is common in many litter species, while others associated with this habitat show adaptations such as elytraform wings (Naumann 1982). Wing reduction is also known in species that inhabit ant and termite nests.
General References
Masner, L. 1993. Superfamily Proctotrupoidea. pp. 537-557 in Goulet, H. & Huber, J.T. (eds). Hymenoptera of the World: An Identification Guide to Families. Ottawa : Research Branch, Agriculture Canada 668 pp.
Naumann, I.D. 1982. Systematics of the Australian Ambositrinae (Hymenoptera: Diapriidae), with a synopsis of the non-Australian genera of the subfamily. Australian Journal of Zoology Supplementary Series 85: 1-239
Naumann, I.D. 1991. Hymenoptera. pp. 916-1000 in Naumann, I.D. (ed.). The Insects of Australia. Melbourne, Vic. : Melbourne University Press Vol. 2 pp. 543-1037