Monophyletic-superfamily
Guides
Evanioidea
Aulacid, Carrot, and Ensign Wasps
Evanioidea is a small superfamily of parasitoid wasps comprising three extant families: Evaniidae (ensign wasps), Aulacidae (aulacid wasps), and Gasteruptiidae (gasteruptiid or carrot wasps). Aulacidae and Gasteruptiidae are sister groups, with Evaniidae representing a more distant lineage. The superfamily is defined by a distinctive morphological trait: the metasoma attaches high on the propodeum, well above the hind coxae. Approximately 1,100 extant species are described, though many remain undescribed. The group has a rich fossil record extending to the Middle Jurassic, with peak diversity during the Jurassic-Cretaceous transition before decline following the rise of Ichneumonoidea.