Xiphydriidae

Xiphydriidae are a family of wood wasps that includes around 150 species. They are located all over the world including North and South America, Australia, Europe, and others. Xiphydriidae larvae are wood borers in dead trees or branches of a range of trees. They are characterized as having long and skinny necks with dome-shaped heads. The oldest fossils of the group are from the mid Cretaceous.
Genera
These 29 genera belong to the family Xiphydriidae:
Alloxiphia Wei, 2002
Austrocyrta Riek, 1955
Austroxiphyda Jennings, Macdonald, Schiff & Parslow, 2021
Brachyxiphus Philippi, 1871
Calexiphyda Smith, 2008
Carinoxiphia Wei, 1999
Derecyrta Smith, 1860
Eoxiphia Maa, 1949
Euxiphydria Semenov-Tian-Shanskii & Gussakovskii, 1935
Genaxiphia Maa, 1949
Gryponeura Benson, 1954
Heteroxiphia Saini & Singh, 1987
Hyperxiphia Maa, 1949
Indoxiphia Maa, 1949
Lataxiphyda Smith, 2008
Lissoxiphyda Smith, 2008
Megaxiphia Wei, 1999
Moaxiphia Maa, 1949
Obesaxiphyda Smith, 2008
Platyxiphydria Takeuchi, 1938
Rhysacephala Benson, 1954
Steirocephala Benson, 1954
Trixiphidia Wei, 1999
Xiphidiaphora Benson, 1954
Xiphydria Latreille, 1802
Xiphydriola Semenov-Tian-Shanskii, 1921
Yangixiphia Wei, 2002
† Paraxiphydria Gao et al, 2022 Burmese amber, Myanmar Cretaceous Albian-Cenomanian
Anatomy and morphology
Head
Most of the species of Xiphydriidae have antennae that are filiform. The antennal segments vary in number ranging from 14 to 22. The maxillary and labial palpi shape and length varies by species. They have an occipital carina which is a ridge in the back of the head. The head is somewhat spherical and is shiny.
Thorax
The pronotum is medially constricted in Xiphydriidae. The defined axillae completely separates the scutum laterally from the mesoscutellum. Parts of the thorax for Xiphydriidae are generally smooth and shiny.
Abdomen
The segment of the abdomen called the gaster can have an orange, red, or yellow coloring pattern.
A study by David R. Smith broke the Xiphydriidae into different groups by their abdomen. The groups were as follows:
Xiphydriidae that have a maxillary palpus segmented into 7.
Xiphydriidae that have short maxillary palpi and contain female fore claws with inner tooth.
Xiphydriidae that have short maxillary palpi and also contain claws of both sexes with inner tooth.
Life cycle and development
Larva
The Xiphydriidae larvae phytophagous, meaning bore into dead or weak trees and plants. When they are buried in these trees, they rely on symbiotic fungi for food in the tunnels that they made. The larva either do not have legs or they have vestigial legs. During the larval stage, the head of Xiphydriidae is as long as broad. As a larva, the antenna contains either three or four segments. The first segment of the antenna does not have setae and is not enlarged.
Adult
Adults are 6-21mm long. Adult Xiphydriidae are most commonly found in shadowy places and run on the surface of leaves. The adults have heads that are spherical which are attached to long and skinny necks.
Ecology
Xiphydriidae bore and feed into dying or weakened trees so they do not have a negative effect to the environment. They can be a secondary pest to humans because of the dead wood people may bring into their homes. Xiphydriidae can be a host for parasitoid Aulacidae and they emerge from larvae that are fully grown.
In Japan, female Xiphydriidae were dissected and fungal spores were found. The spores were 5 to 30 micrometers in diameter and had a globular shape. Mucus was also in the glandular organs of some of the wood wasps.
References
Jennings, J. T.; Austin, A. D. & Bashford, R. (2009). "First record of the woodwasp family Xiphydriidae from Tasmania with a description of a new species and host record". Australian Journal of Entomology. 48: 25–28.
Sawfly families
Sawflies
Taxa named by William Elford Leach