The Diprionidae are a small family of conifer-feeding sawflies (thus the common name conifer sawflies, though other Symphyta also feed on conifers) restricted to the Northern Hemisphere, with some 140 species in 13 genera. Larvae are often gregarious, and sometimes there can be major outbreaks, thus these sawflies can be major forest pests at times.[1] These sawflies have the ability to compromise the health and ecological balance of forests. When the temperatures begin to rise, the sawflies become strengthened pests to these conifers. In doing so, they cause damage to a certain extent.[2]

Diprionidae
Monoctenus juniperi
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Suborder: Symphyta
Superfamily: Tenthredinoidea
Family: Diprionidae
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The family has distinctive antennae with about 20 flagellomeres. Males have pectinate antennae and females have serrate antennae.[3]

Sawfly infestation in Scots pines

Genera

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These 13 genera belong to the family Diprionidae:

References

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  1. ^ Taeger, A.; Liston, A.D.; Prous, M.; Groll, E.K.; et al. (2018). "ECatSym – Electronic World Catalog of Symphyta (Insecta, Hymenoptera)". Senckenberg Deutsches Entomologisches Institut (SDEI), Müncheberg. Retrieved 2019-05-31.
  2. ^ Aguilera-Molina, Víctor M. (July 6, 2019). "Climate change and forest plagues: assessing current and future impacts of diprionid sawflies on the pine forests of north-western Mexico". PeerJ. 7: 17. doi:10.7717/peerj.7220. PMC 6640623. PMID 31341729.
  3. ^ Hymenoptera of the world : an identification guide to families. Goulet, Henri., Huber, John T. (John Theodore), Canada. Agriculture Canada. Research Branch. Ottawa, Ont.: Centre for Land and Biological Resources Research. 1993. ISBN 0-660-14933-8. OCLC 28024976.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
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