Basal-hymenoptera
Guides
Macroxyelinae
macroxyelid sawflies
Macroxyelinae is a small subfamily of sawflies within the family Xyelidae, one of the most basal lineages of Hymenoptera. The group contains two extant genera, Macroxyela and Megaxyela, with approximately six described species. These insects are characterized by their relatively large body size compared to other xyelid sawflies and their association with specific host plants, primarily hickories and walnuts (Juglandaceae). Macroxyelinae represents an ancient relict lineage with a primarily Holarctic distribution.
Orussidae
parasitic wood wasps, parasitoid wood wasps
Orussidae is a small family of approximately 93 extant species of parasitoid sawflies. They occupy a pivotal phylogenetic position as the sister taxon to the megadiverse Apocrita, indicating that parasitism evolved in the common ancestor of Orussidae + Apocrita. Adults are rarely encountered, typically found on sun-exposed dead wood where females use vibrational sounding to locate concealed hosts. Larvae are the only carnivorous sawfly larvae known, acting as parasitoids of wood-boring beetles and other Hymenoptera.
Ropronia
Ropronia is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Roproniidae, a small and poorly known group within the superfamily Proctotrupoidea. The genus was established by Provancher in 1887 and represents one of the few extant genera in its family. Roproniidae are considered relictual wasps with limited species diversity and restricted geographic distributions. Members of this genus are rarely encountered and poorly represented in collections.
Ropronia garmani
Ropronia garmani is a species of parasitoid wasp in the family Roproniidae, a small and poorly known group of Hymenoptera. The species was described by William H. Ashmead in 1898. Roproniidae are considered relictual wasps with uncertain phylogenetic placement, sometimes allied with Stephanidae or other basal hymenopteran lineages. Very few specimens of R. garmani have been documented, with only 8 observations recorded on iNaturalist as of the knowledge cutoff.
Xyelidae
Xyelid Sawflies
Xyelidae is a family of sawflies comprising approximately 80 extant species in five genera worldwide, with an extensive fossil record of over 120 species dating to the Triassic. It is the sole family in the superfamily Xyeloidea and represents the sister group to all other extant Hymenoptera, retaining numerous ancestral morphological features. Extant species are primarily distributed in boreal regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with a relict distribution pattern. The family is divided into two subfamilies: Xyelinae, associated with conifers, and Macroxyelinae, feeding on deciduous trees.