Sycophaga


Sycophaga is a mainly Afrotropical genus of fig wasps that live on the section Sycomorus of the monoecious fig subgenus, Sycomorus, and one of several fig wasp genera to exploit its mutualism with Ceratosolen wasps.
They enter the fig during the receptive phase of development, and oviposit inside the short-style flowers. This induces the growth of endosperm tissue and the enlargement and ripening of the syconium which holds the wasp-bearing drupelets, without pollination taking place.
The genus can be characterized by having a long ovipositor, non-metallic coloration, a square mesoscutellum, and a long propodeum.

Species

The described species include:Sycophaga afflicta Grandi, 1916Sycophaga callani Grandi, 1955Sycophaga cyclostigma Waterston, 1916Sycophaga depressa Risbec, 1956Sycophaga gigantea Grandi, 1916Sycophaga gigas Mayr, 1906Sycophaga insularis Grandi, 1916Sycophaga silvestrii Grandi, 1916Sycophaga sycomori Linnaeus, 1758Sycophaga tenebrosa Grandi, 1917Sycophaga valentinae Grandi, 1952Sycophaga vicina Mayr, 1906Sycophaga viduata Grandi, 1916