Mesostoinae

Mesostoinae
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Suborder:	Apocrita
Superfamily:	Ichneumonoidea
Family:	Braconidae
Subfamily:	Mesostoinae

The Mesostoinae, is a subfamily of wasps endemic to Australia.It contains four genera:

• Andesipolis
• Hydrangeocola
• Mesostoa
• Proavga

The members of this family display sexual dimorphism, males are brachypterous, which means that they have reduced, non-functional wings. A unique feature of this subfamily is that all the known species are primary gall formers on Banksia.

References

• Australian Faunal Directory
• Austin, A.D. & Dangerfield, P.C. (1998). Biology of the Mesostoa kerri Austin and Wharton (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Mesostoinae), an endemic Australian wasp that causes stem galls on Banksia marginata Cav. Aust. J. Bot. 46: 559-569