Tanaostigmatidae
Encyclopedia
Tanaostigmatidae is a small family of parasitic wasp
s in the superfamily Chalcidoidea. They are almost exclusively phytophagous insects, forming gall
s in plant stems, leaves, or seeds. There are only some 90 species in 9 genera, and they are primarily tropical and subtropical.
They are typically short, squat wasps, best recognized by a protruding prepectus, and the mesonotum is often strongly arched, so the pronotum is nearly vertical.
Parasitic wasp
The term parasitoid wasp refers to a large evolutionary grade of hymenopteran superfamilies, mainly in the Apocrita. They are primarily parasitoids of other animals, mostly other arthropods...
s in the superfamily Chalcidoidea. They are almost exclusively phytophagous insects, forming gall
Gall
Galls or cecidia are outgrowths on the surface of lifeforms caused by invasion by other lifeforms, such as parasites or bacterial infection. Plant galls are abnormal outgrowths of plant tissues and can be caused by various parasites, from fungi and bacteria, to insects and mites...
s in plant stems, leaves, or seeds. There are only some 90 species in 9 genera, and they are primarily tropical and subtropical.
They are typically short, squat wasps, best recognized by a protruding prepectus, and the mesonotum is often strongly arched, so the pronotum is nearly vertical.