Barklice-parasite
Guides
Mymarommatidae
False Fairy Wasps
Mymarommatidae, known as false fairy wasps, comprise a minute family of parasitic wasps with approximately 20 described extant species across three genera (Mymaromma, Mymaromella, Zealaromma), plus numerous fossil species. These insects are among the smallest known wasps, measuring approximately 0.3 mm in length. For over a century, their biology remained enigmatic until 2022, when Mymaromma menehune was confirmed as a solitary endoparasitoid of barklice eggs (Psocodea: Lepidopsocidae). The family exhibits a distinctive relictual morphology, including a pleated head membrane and unique wing structure, and has been proposed as "living fossils" potentially related to the extinct Serphitoidea.