Braconidae

Braconidae
Atanycolus sp.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Superfamily:	Ichneumonoidea
Family:	Braconidae
Subfamilies
47, see text
Synonyms
Stenophasmidae Benoit, 1949

47, see text

Stenophasmidae Benoit, 1949

The Braconidae is a large family of parasitoid wasps. There are approximately 17,000 recognized species and many thousands more undescribed. One analysis estimated a total between about 30,000 and 50,000, and another provided a narrower estimate between 42,000 and 43,000 species.

Braconidae are currently divided into about 47 subfamilies and over 1,000 genera, which include Ademon, Aleiodes, Aphanta, Asobara, Bracon, Cenocoelius, Chaenusa, Chorebidea, Chorebidella, Chorebus, Cotesia, Dacnusa, Kollasmosoma, Microgaster, Opius, Parapanteles, Phaenocarpa, and Psenobolus.

These fall to two major groups, informally called the cyclostomes and noncyclostomes. In cyclostome braconids, the labrum and the lower part of the clypeus are concave with respect to the upper clypeus and the dorsal margin of the mandibles. These groups may be clades that diverged early in the evolution of braconids.

The morphological variation among braconids is notable. They are often black-brown (sometimes with reddish markings), though some species exhibit striking coloration and patterns, being parts of Müllerian mimicry complexes. They have one or no recurrent veins, unlike other members of the other famlily in Ichneumonoidea (Ichneumonidae), which usually have two. Wing venation patterns are also divergent to apparent randomness. The antennae have 16 segments or more; the hind trochanters have two segments.

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Wikipedia