← Gallery II · The Orders
No. 19 · Holometabolous
Twisted-wing Parasites
Strepsiptera
~600
Described species
~9
Families
Introduction
Strepsiptera have one of the most extreme cases of sexual dimorphism in the animal kingdom. Now widely accepted as sister to Coleoptera.
Field marks
Key ID traits.
Bizarre sexually dimorphic parasites. Males have twisted hindwings and reduced club-like forewings. Females are larviform — they never leave their host. Endoparasites of bees, wasps, planthoppers, and others.
Etymology
Greek strepsi 'twisted' + pteron 'wing'
Wings
Variable
Diet
Parasitic
Habitat
Parasitic
Notable examples
Stylops, Xenos.
Where to look