Austroniidae

Definition

A small family of parasitoid wasps in the order Hymenoptera, containing the single genus Austronia. Members are minute (4–6 mm), endemic to wet forests of southern Australia and Tasmania, and comprise three described species.

Etymology

From Austronia, the type genus, with the family suffix -idae.

Example

Austronia, the sole genus in Austroniidae, represents an endemic Australian lineage of minute parasitoid wasps restricted to cool temperate rainforests.

Related Terms

• Austronia
• Hymenoptera
• Parasitoid
• Endemism
• Proctotrupoidea

Usage Notes

Austroniidae is a monotypic family—rare among Hymenoptera—containing only Austronia. The family is placed in the superfamily Proctotrupoidea, though relationships among proctotrupoid families remain under study. Not to be confused with similarly named taxa in other groups.