SYMPHYTA Gerstaecker, 1867
(sawflies)

Subtaxon Example images Rank Featured
subtaxa		 No of
images		 No of
ID refs
CEPHOIDEA
a superfamily of sawflies
Female (Click to open)
 		Superfamily 5 subtaxa 68 images 5 ident. refs
MEGALODONTOIDEA
a superfamily of sawflies
Superfamily 1 ident. refs
ORUSSOIDEA
a superfamily of sawflies
Superfamily 1 ident. refs
PAMPHILIOIDEA
a superfamily of sawflies
Superfamily 1 subtaxa 11 images 1 ident. refs
PAMPHILIIDAE
a family of sawflies
Family 1 subtaxa 11 images
PAMPHILIINAE
a subfamily of sawflies
(Click to open)
 		Subfamily 1 subtaxa 11 images
SIRICOIDEA
woodwasps
Superfamily 1 subtaxa 22 images 2 ident. refs
SIRICIDAE
horntail
Family 1 subtaxa 22 images
Urocerus
a genus of woodwasps
Female (Click to open)
 		Genus 1 subtaxa 22 images
TENTHREDINOIDEA
a superfamily of sawflies
Female (Click to open)
 		Superfamily 128 subtaxa 795 images 98 ident. refs
XIPHYDRIOIDEA
a superfamily of sawflies
Superfamily 1 subtaxa 4 ident. refs
XIPHYDRIIDAE
a family of woodwasps
Family 1 subtaxa 3 ident. refs
XIPHYDRIINAE
a subfamily of hymenopterans
Subfamily 1 subtaxa 3 ident. refs
XYELOIDEA
a superfamily of sawflies
Superfamily 2 ident. refs
Symphyta (unidentified)
Unidentified Sawflies
Male (Click to open)
 		Unidentified 49 images
Taxonomic hierarchy:
SuborderSYMPHYTA (sawflies)
OrderHYMENOPTERA (ants, bees and wasps, sawflies and parasitoid wasps)
Division Endopterygota (bees, beetles, flies, moths and other insects with wings developing internally)
InfraclassNeoptera (bees, beetles, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other advanced insects)
SubclassPTERYGOTA (bees, beetles, dragonflies, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other winged insects)
ClassINSECTA (true insects)
SubphylumHEXAPODA (insects and other 6-legged organisms)
PhylumARTHROPODA (arthropods)
SuperphylumECDYSOZOA (skin shedders)
CladeBilateria (bilaterally symmetrical animals)
SubkingdomEUMETAZOA (metazoans)
KingdomANIMALIA (animals)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)

Identification Works

AuthorYearTitleSource
Anon. Sawflies discussion group
Benson, R.B. 1958 Hymenoptera: 2. Symphyta. Section (c) Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects , Vol VI, Part 2(c), 252pp, The Royal Entomological Society of London
Benson, R.B. 1952 Hymenoptera: 2. Symphyta. Section (b) Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects , Vol VI, Part 2(b), 137pp, The Royal Entomological Society of London
Benson, R.B. 1951 Hymenoptera: 2. Symphyta. Section (a) Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects , Vol VI, Part 2(a), 49pp, The Royal Entomological Society of London
Berland, L. 1947 *** Hyménoptères Tenthredoïdes ***(Superseded) Faune de France, Faune No 47, 496pp, Fédération Française des Sociétés de Science Naturel
Cameron, P. 1882 *** A Monograph of the British Phytophagous Hymenoptera (Tenthredo, Sirex and Cynips, Linne.) ***(Superseded) Vols 59, 62, 67 & 70., 340+233+?+274pp, The Ray Society, London
Sawfly Study Group Sawfly Study Group Newsletter Published for/by:Sawfly Study Group
Sheppard, D.A. 1996 Introduction to Sawflies (Draft)
() Wright, A. 1990 British Sawflies: a key to the adults of genera occurring in Britain AIDGAP, 203, 62pp, Field Studies Council

On Cherry Trees

Leather, S.R. & Bland, K.P. 1999 Insects on cherry trees 82pp, The Richmond Publishing Co. Ltd

Plant Galls

Anon. British Galls

SYMPHYTA (sawflies) may also be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for SYMPHYTA (sawflies)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 1,081 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for SYMPHYTA (sawflies)

The saw is often needed to confirm identification of female sawflies. As it becomes quite brittle when dry it is best everted when fresh.

This can be quite tricky. The specimen should be temporarily pinned on its back and the saw can then be rotated upwards by 90° from between the two valves of the saw sheath. A mounted micropin (perhaps with a hooked tip) and/or very fine forceps are needed. Once it pops out it can be encouraged to stay by gently pressing at the base (in the crook of the "elbow"). The specimen can then be pinned in the normal orientation and left to dry with the saw pressing gently against the plastazote.

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