Mymaridae
Mymaridae is a family of wasps and a member of the group (Superfamily) Chalcidoidea which is comprised of 19 distinct wasp families. At least it was. Recent (2022) molecular evidence together with more intensive study of morphological characters shows that many more families are out there. This was true, especially, for the family Pteromalidae about which it has long been known to be comprised of many lineages (families in waiting) that didn’t belong together. There are now 50 (yikes!) recognized families in the Chalcidoidea, comprising about 22,000 species. Some taxonomists believe that there are as many as 500,000 species of chalcidoids with an enormous number awaiting discovery and description.
Mymaridae number about. 1400 species making them a md-size family. All mymarids are parasitoids of the eggs of other insects. Not surprisingly, they are small, their size limited by that of the egg in which they develop. Although they look rather delicate (their common name is fairyflies) they are in fact pretty tough. Mymarids that have been stored in ethanol often have folded or twisted wings. These can be flattened easily by rubbing the wings with the point of a jeweler’s forceps until they “pop” back into shape. Mymarids usually have long antennae, often longer than the body. A few species are aquatic and at least one is capable of swimming, using their fringed wings as paddles. That species is capable of surviving up to two weeks underwater! It attacks submerged eggs of aquatic beetles, bugs and moths.
The species presented this week was collected in Chawia Forest in the Taita Hills, Kenya’s part of the Eastern Arc Mountain Range, known for its high rate of endemism. You might be looking at an undescribed species.
Credits: Dr Robert Copeland