Siricidae

Definition

A family of non-social Hymenoptera commonly known as horntails or wood wasps, characterized by a stout, spine-like terminal abdominal structure (the "horn" or cornus) present in both sexes and an elongated ovipositor in females used to drill into wood and deposit eggs in fungal-infected timber. Larvae are xylophagous, feeding on wood degraded by symbiotic fungi. Though superficially resembling wasps due to mimicry, they are not closely related to Vespidae and are instead classified with sawflies in the suborder Symphyta.

Etymology

From Latin Siricidae, derived from the genus Sirix (classical Latin for a horned owl or bird of prey, later applied to these insects).

Example

The pigeon horntail (Tremex columba), among the largest Hymenoptera at up to 5 cm in length, is a representative siricid whose larvae tunnel through hardwoods and carry fungal spores in specialized abdominal pouches to inoculate their galleries.

Synonyms

• horntails
• wood wasps

Related Terms

• Symphyta
• Xiphydriidae
• ovipositor
• xylophagy
• mycangium
• wood-boring insects
• Sawflies

Usage Notes

The common name "wood wasp" is misleading; Siricidae are not true wasps (Vespidae, Apocrita) but rather sawfly relatives. The cornus (horn) is not a sting and cannot deliver venom. Species are economically significant as pests of timber and as vectors of tree-decay fungi, though some also serve as indicators of forest health. Distinguish from similar wood-boring families Xiphydriidae (paradox wasps) and Orussidae (parasitic wood wasps).