The Cynipoidea are a moderate-sized hymenopteran superfamily that presently includes seven extant families and three extinct families, though others have been recognized in the past. The most familiar members of the group are phytophagous, especially as gall-formers, though the actual majority of included species are parasitoids or hyperparasitoidss. They are typically glossy, dark, smooth wasps with somewhat compressed bodies and somewhat reduced wing venation. It is common for various metasomal segments to be fused in various ways (often diagnostic for families or subfamilies), and the petiole is very short, when present .

With the exception of the Cynipidae (the gall wasps), it is a poorly known group as a whole, though there are nearly 3000 known species in total, and a great many species are still undescribed, mostly in the Figitidae. Each of the constituent families differs in biology, though life histories of one of the families (Liopteridae) are still largely unknown. In July 2020, an identification key for the superfamily was published, enabling identification to the family/tribe level. Several groups formerly included in Cynipidae were elevated to family status in 2023.

Classification

1. Family Protimaspidae Liu & Engel, 2007

   Family Stolamissidae Liu & Engel, 2007

   Family Gerocynipidae Liu & Engel, 2007

   Family Austrocynipidae Riek, 1971

   Family Paraulacidae Nieves-Aldrey & Liljeblad, 2009

   Family Diplolepididae Latreille, 1802

   1. 1. Subfamily Diplolepidinae Latreille, 1802

      2. Subfamily Pediaspinae Ashmead, 1903

   Family Ibaliidae Thomson, 1862

   1. 1. Subfamily Archaeibaliinae Liu & Engel, 2010

      2. Subfamily Ibaliinae Thomson, 1862

   Family Liopteridae Ashmead, 1895

   1. 1. Subfamily Proliopterinae Liu & Engel, 2007

      2. Subfamily Goeraniinae Liu & Engel, 2007

      3. Subfamily Mayrellinae Hedicke, 1922

      4. Subfamily Dallatorrellinae Kieffer, 1911

      5. Subfamily Oberthuerellinae Hedicke, 1903

      6. Subfamily Liopterinae Ashmead, 1895

   Family Figitidae Thomson, 1862

   1. 1. Subfamily Rasnicynipinae Kozlov, 1996

      2. Subfamily Palaeocynipinae Kozlov, 1995

      3. Subfamily Charipinae Dalla Torre & Kieffer, 1910

      4. Subfamily Emargininae Kovalev, 1994

      5. Subfamily Eucoilinae Thomson, 1862

         1. Tribe Diglyphosematini Belizin, 1961

         2. Tribe Eucoilini Thomson, 1862

         3. Tribe Ganaspini Belizin, 1961

         4. Tribe Kleidotomini Hellén, 1960

         5. Tribe Trichoplastini Kovalev, 1989

         6. Tribe Zaeucoilini Buffington, 2009

         Subfamily Figitinae Thomson, 1862

      6. Subfamily Mikeiinae Paretas-Martinez & Pujade-Villar, 2011

      7. Subfamily Aspicerinae Dalla Torre & Kieffer, 1910

      8. Subfamily Anacharitinae Thomson, 1862

      9. Subfamily Pycnostigminae Cameron, 1905

      10. Subfamily Thrasorinae Kovalev, 1994

      11. Subfamily Plectocynipinae Ros-Farré & Pujade-Villar, 2007

      12. Subfamily Euceroptresinae Buffington & Liljeblad, 2008

      13. Subfamily Parnipinae Ronquist & Nieves-Aldrey, 2001

   Family Cynipidae Latreille, 1802

   1. 1. Subfamily Hodiernocynipinae Kovalev, 1994

      2. Subfamily Cynipinae Latreille, 1802

         1. Tribe Aulacideini Nieves-Aldrey & Ronquist, 2015

         2. Tribe Aylacini Ashmead, 1903

         3. Tribe Ceroptresini Nieves-Aldrey, Nylander, & Ronquist, 2015

         4. Tribe Cynipini Latreille, 1802

         5. Tribe Diastrophini Nieves-Aldrey, Nylander, & Ronquist, 2015

         6. Tribe Eschatocerini Ashmead, 1903

         7. Tribe Phanacidini Nieves-Aldrey, Nylander, & Ronquist, 2015

         8. Tribe Qwaqwaiini Liljeblad, Nieves-Aldrey, & Melika, 2011

         9. Tribe Synergini Ashmead, 1896

References