- Sawfly
:"Symphyta redirects here. For the
moth genus , see "Symphyta (genus) .Taxobox
name = Sawflies
fossil_range=Triassic - Recent
image_width = 250px
regnum =Animal ia
phylum =Arthropod a
classis =Insect a
ordo =Hymenoptera
subordo = Symphyta
subdivision_ranks = Superfamilies and families
subdivision = SuperfamilyCephoidea
FamilyCephidae (stem sawflies)
SuperfamilyMegalodontoidea
FamilyMegalodontesidae
FamilyPamphiliidae (leaf-rolling & web-spinning sawflies)
SuperfamilyOrussoidea
FamilyOrussidae (parasitic wood wasps)
SuperfamilySiricoidea
FamilyAnaxyelidae (cedar wood wasps)
FamilySiricidae (horntails)
SuperfamilyTenthredinoidea
FamilyArgidae (argid sawflies)
FamilyBlasticotomidae (fern sawflies)
FamilyCimbicidae (cimbicid sawflies)
FamilyDiprionidae (conifer sawflies)
FamilyPergidae (pergid sawflies)
FamilyTenthredinidae (common sawflies)
SuperfamilyXyeloidea
FamilyXyelidae (xyelid sawflies)
FamilyXiphydriidae (wood wasps)Sawfly is the common name for is an
insect in the orderHymenoptera , suborder Symphyta.Sawflies are distinguishable from most other Hymenoptera by the broad connection between the
abdomen and thethorax "(see image)", and the caterpillar-like larvae (below). The common name comes from the appearance of theovipositor , which looks much like the blade of a saw. This ovipositor, which is modified into a "sting" in some members of the Apocrita, is not used as a weapon. Females use the ovipositor to cut into plants where they lay their eggs. A few species have long thin ovipositors used to drill holes deep into wood. Large populations can cause economic damage in cultivated areas and forests.Taxonomy
Sawflies are a group of largely phytophagous (herbivorous) insects. The overall group is paraphyletic, but the name is still in common use, and treated as a suborder, though it seems likely it will be phased out in future classifications. These superfamilies are regarded as the most primitive taxa within the Hymenoptera (some going back 200 million years), and one of the taxa within the Symphyta gave rise to the suborder
Apocrita (wasp s,bee s andant s - this group is consideredmonophyletic ). In the opinion of many experts, the most likelysister taxon to the Apocrita is the familyOrussidae , the only Symphytan group which is parasitic.Larvae
The larvae look like
caterpillar s (the larvae of moths and butterflies), with two notable exceptions; (1) they have six or more pairs ofproleg s on theabdomen (caterpillars have five or fewer), and (2) they have twostemma ta instead of a caterpillar's six. Typical sawfly larvae areherbivorous , the group feeding on a wide range of plants. Individual species, however, are often quite specific in their choice of plants used for food. The larvae of various species exhibit leaf-mining, leaf "rolling", orgall formation. Three families are strictly xylophagous, and called "wood wasp s", and one family is parasitic. The larvae that do not feed externally on plants are grub-like, without prolegs.Adults
Adult sawflies, except for those in the family
Cephidae , have structures that latch onto the underside of the forewings to help hold the wings in place when the insect is at rest. These "cenchri", which are absent in the suborder Apocrita, are located behind thescutellum on the thorax. Adults of some species are carnivorous, eating other insects, but many also feed on nectar.References
* [http://research.amnh.org/entomology/social_insects/training/hymintro.html The American Museum of Natural History] 2004-01-15
* [http://www.kendall-bioresearch.co.uk Kendall Bioresearch Services] (Image)External links
* [http://www.zalf.de/home_zalf/institute/dei/php_e/ecatsym/ ECatSym - Electronic World Catalog of Symphyta]
* [http://www.cirrusimage.com/hymenoptera_sawfly_yellow.htm Sawfly - Tenthredininae subfamily - diagnostic photographs and information]
* [http://www.cirrusimage.com/bees_wasps_sawfly_Dolerus_unicolor.htm Sawfly - "Dolerus unicolor" photos and information]
* [http://www.cirrusimage.com/bees_wasps_sawfly_Dolerus%20nitens.htm Sawfly - "Dolerus nitens" photographs]
* [http://www.cirrusimage.com/hymenoptera_sawfly_Arge_humeralis.htm Sawfly "Arge humeralis" photographs]
* [http://digital.library.unt.edu/permalink/meta-dc-1527:1 "A sawfly injurious to young pines"] hosted by the [http://digital.library.unt.edu/browse/department/govdocs/ UNT Government Documents Department]
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