Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Figitidae

Xyalophora Kieffer, 1901

Remarks.

Rare. Recently revised by Jimenez et al. (2008) and van Noort et al. (2014).

Diagnosis.

Xyalophora shares the presence of a scutellar spine with Neralsia, absent in Figites and Lonchidia . Xyalophora can be separated from Neralsia by the presence of transversely striate notauli (smooth in Neralsia), and an often slightly smaller scutellar spine; this second character, however, is often linked to adult body size and should be used with caution. As in the case of Neralsia, species of Xyalophora can be superficially similar to Prosaspicera ( Aspicerinae), but can be separated from that taxon by the lack of a facial impression on the head, as well as the lack of a ligulate metasomal T2. All three African species have the occipital carinae directed towards the ocellar area and separated in the middle by a smooth surface as well as a smooth interocellar area.

Distribution.

Probably worldwide, but no records from the Oriental region are published. Afrotropical records: Burkina Faso ( Jiménez et al. 2008c); Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Namibia, South Africa (van Noort et al. 2014).

Biology.

Parasitoids of calyptrate Brachycera larvae in decomposing substrates (Ionescu 1969).

Species richness.

Xyalophora tedjoansi van Noort, Buffington & Forshage, 2014 (Mali)

Xyalophora provancheri Jiménez & Pujade-Villar, 2008 (Burkina Faso)

Xyalophora tintini van Noort, Buffington & Forshage, 2014 (Democratic Republic of Congo, Namibia, South Africa)