Stauronematus

This is a small genus of only three species distributed within the Palaearctic region. In Britain there is one species. The genus is absent from Ireland.

The genus Stauronematus can be characterised within the Nematinae by the following features. They are similar to the genus Pristiphora but the tarsal claws are distinctive through having a pronounced basal lobe and an inner tooth that is longer than the apical tooth. In the forewing, cell c is at least twice the width of vein R at the point where vein Rs+M meets vein R.

Larvae feed on the leaves of species within the Salicaceae. They are unique in constructing a palisade of dried saliva turrets around themselves, the purpose of which is uncertain.

Species list:

Stauronematus platycerus (Hartig, 1840)

References:

Benson, R.B., 1952. Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects. Hymenoptera, Symphyta, Vol 6, Section 2(a-c), Royal Entomological Society, London

Cavalcaselle, B. 1968: Contributo alla conoscenza di Stauronematus compressicornis (F.) (Hymenoptera - Tenthredinidae). - Pubbl. Centro Sper. Agric. For., Rom 9: 235-280.

Georgiev, G. 1990: Studies of the distribution, bioecology, and control of Stauronematus compressicornis F. in Bulgaria. - Nauka za Gorata 27(2): 72-78

Liston, A. D. 2007: Revision of Stauronematus Benson, 1953 and additions to the sawfly fauna of Corsica and Sardinia (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae). - Beiträge zur Entomologie, Keltern 57 (1): 135-150

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

Liu, M.-M.; Li, Z.; Jiahe, Y.; Wei, M.; Niu, G. 2018: A New Species of Stauronematus Benson (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae), Which Is A Defoliator of Populus x canadensis in China. - Scientia silvae sinicae, Beijing 54(6): 94-99.

Prous, M., Liston, A., Kramp, K., Savina, H., Vårdal, H. and Taeger, A., 2019. The West Palaearctic genera of Nematinae (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae). ZooKeys, 875, p.63.