Review of Afrotropical Figitinae (Figitidae, Cynipoidea, Hymenoptera) with the first records of Neralsia and Lonchidia for the region Author van Noort, Simon Author Buffington, Matthew L. Author Forshage, Mattias text ZooKeys 2014 453 37 69 http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.453.8511 journal article http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.453.8511 1313-2970-453-37 F974227D67614AD4880D3F5706E91D47 F974227D67614AD4880D3F5706E91D47 Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Figitidae Xyalophora Kieffer, 1901 Xyalophora Kieffer, 1901: 344. Type species: Figites clavatus Giraud, 1860, by monotypy and original designation. Ceraspidia Belizin, 1952: 301. Type species: Ceraspidia japonica Belizin, 1952, by monotypy and original designation. 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 ( Jimenez et al. 2008 ); Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Namibia, South Africa (here). Biology. Parasitoids of calyptrate Brachycera larvae in decomposing substrates ( Ionescu 1969 ). Comments. A rare genus that has been recently revised by Jimenez et al. 2008 .