Leptofoeninae

Leptofoeninae
	(female)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Suborder:	Apocrita
Superfamily:	Chalcidoidea
Family:	Pteromalidae
Subfamily:	Leptofoeninae
Genera
	Doddifoenus; Leptofoenus;

Leptofoeninae is a pteromalid wasp subfamily containing the largest known members of the Chalcidoidea. They also, like many of the smaller pteromalids, are brilliantly metallic.

The subfamily contains only two genera, Doddifoenus (with three species) and Leptofoenus (with five extant species). The species Doddifoenus wallacei is the largest known chalcidoid wasp, reaching nearly 5 cm (2.0 in) in length (including ovipositor).^[1]

The first Leptofoeninae species known from the fossil record, Leptofoenus pittfieldae, was described in 2009 by Dr. Michael Engel from a specimen discovered in Dominican amber.^[2]

References[]

^ Krogmann, L., Burks, R.A. (2009) Doddifoenus wallacei, a new giant parasitoid wasp of the subfamily Leptofoeninae (Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae), with a description of its mesosomal skeletal anatomy and a molecular characterization. Zootaxa 2194: 21-36
^ Engel, M.S. (2005). "The first fossil leptofoenine wasp (Hymenoptera, Pteromalidae): A new species of Leptofoenus in Miocene amber from the Dominican Republic". ZooKeys (13): 57–66. doi:10.3897/zookeys.13.159.

[1] Krogmann, L., Burks, R.A. (2009) Doddifoenus wallacei, a new giant parasitoid wasp of the subfamily Leptofoeninae (Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae), with a description of its mesosomal skeletal anatomy and a molecular characterization. Zootaxa 2194: 21-36

[Engel2009-2] Engel, M.S. (2005). "The first fossil leptofoenine wasp (Hymenoptera, Pteromalidae): A new species of Leptofoenus in Miocene amber from the Dominican Republic". ZooKeys (13): 57–66. doi:10.3897/zookeys.13.159.

[1]

[2]