Family Xiphydriidae
The Xiphydriidae are characterised by the following features. The antennae have at least 14 segments. The pronotum is arched both on the front and hind margins margins and there is a long neck (propleura) between the head and pronotum. The head is strongly domed. The mesonotum has a transverse groove.
Globally there are around 150 species in 27 genera. In Britain they are represented by the genus Xiphydria with three species.
The larvae bore the timber of branches of dead and ailing trees.
Species list:
Subfamily Xiphydriinae Leach, 1819
Genus Xiphydria Latreille, 1802
Xiphydria camelus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Xiphydria longicollis (Geoffroy, 1785)
Xiphydria prolongata (Geoffroy, 1785)
- Xiphydria longicollis female Credit Liz Tarren
- Xiphydria prolongata Credit Stephen Plant
- Xiphydria camelus female
- Xiphydria camelus female
References:
Benson, R.B., 1952. Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects. Hymenoptera, Symphyta, Vol 6, Section 2(a-c), Royal Entomological Society, London
Goulet, H., 1992. The Insects and Arachnids of Canada. Part 20. The genera and subgenera of the sawflies of Canada and Alaska. Hymenoptera: Symphyta. Agriculture Canada Research Branch, Canada Communications Group–Publishing, Ottawa
Liston A, Knight G, Sheppard D, Broad G, Livermore L (2014) Checklist of British and Irish Hymenoptera - Sawflies, ‘Symphyta’. Biodiversity Data Journal 2: e1168. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.2.e1168