Pamphilioidea Temporal range:
| |
---|---|
Acantholyda nemoralis (Pamphiliidae) | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Hymenoptera |
Suborder: | Symphyta |
Superfamily: | Pamphilioidea Cameron, 1890 |
Families | |
Megalodontesidae Konow, 1897 | |
Synonyms | |
Megalodontoidea Konow, 1897 |
The Pamphilioidea are a small superfamily within the Symphyta (the sawflies), containing some 250 living species restricted to the temperate regions of Eurasia and North America. These hymenopterans share the distinctive feature of a very large, almost prognathous head, which is widest ventrally.
The superfamily contains two extant families. The Pamphiliidae are the leaf-rolling or web-spinning sawflies such as Acantholyda, Neurotoma, and Pamphilius whose larvae eat plants such as conifers; the adults have simple filiform antennae. The Megalodontesidae include genera such as Megalodontes and several fossil groups. Their larvae eat herbaceous plants, while the adults have serrate or pectinate antennae.[2]