Ichneumonidae - Taxonomy and Systematics

Taxonomy and Systematics

The Ichneumonidae are the subject of ongoing taxonomical difficulty. About as diverse as the true weevils (Curculionidae), there are numerous small, inconspicuous and hard-to-identify ichneumon wasps. The sheer diversity means that DNA sequence data is only available for a tiny fraction of the species, and that detailed cladistic studies require major-scale computing capacity.

Consequently, the phylogeny and systematics of the ichneumon wasps are not definitely resolved. Several prominent authors - like H. T. Townes and J. Oehlke - have gone as far as to publish major reviews that defy the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature.

Regardless, there exist a number of seminal works, including the extensive study and the synonymic catalogue by Townes but also treatments by other entomologists, namely J. F. Aubert whose notable collection of ichneumon wasps is in Lausanne.