Cynipidae

Definition

A family of small wasps in the superfamily Cynipoidea (order Hymenoptera) whose larvae develop inside plant galls that they chemically induce. The family comprises roughly 1,300 described species, including the familiar oak apple gall wasps and robin's pincushion gall formers. Cynipidae are distinguished from related families Paraulacidae and Diplolepididae by molecular and morphological characters; females typically possess a laterally compressed metasoma and reduced wing venation.

Etymology

From Cynips (type genus, from Greek kynippos, a kind of gall wasp) + -idae (family suffix).

Example

The sexual generation of Neuroterus quercusbaccarum (Cynipidae) emerges from currant galls on oak leaves in spring, while the agamic generation forms spangle galls on the undersides of leaves in autumn.

Synonyms

• Gall wasps
• cynipids
• gallflies

Related Terms

• gall
• Cynipoidea
• Hymenoptera
• inquiline
• agamic generation
• Diplolepididae
• Paraulacidae
• Cynips
• Biorhiza
• Andricus

Usage Notes

Specialists distinguish Cynipidae from other cynipoid families by larval biology (true gall inducers versus inquilines or parasitoids) and adult morphology. The family is split into subfamilies Cynipinae and the extinct †Hodiernocynipinae. Many species have complex heterogonic life cycles with alternating sexual and parthenogenetic generations that form different gall morphologies on different plant tissues or even different host species.