Syntexinae Benson 1935

Subfamily Syntexinae Benson, 1935 Remarks: The family Anxyelidae is included in the Siricoidea [= Anaxyelidae + “ Gigasiricidae ” + Siricidae (sensu Grimaldi & Engel 2005); = Anaxyelidae + Protosiricidae + Daohugoidae + Siricidae + Xiphydriidae (sensu Rasnitsyn & Zhang 2004a, b, Rasnitsyn 2006)] and comprises four subfamilies: the Late Jurassic Anaxyelinae Martynov, 1925, the Late Jurassic or Lower Cretaceous Kempendajinae Rasnitsyn, 1980, the Lower Cretaceous Dolichostigmatinae, Rasnitsyn 1968 and the Lower Cretaceous – Recent Syntexinae Benson, 1935. The palaeogeographical range of the family is extensive, specimens being known from Central Asia, England, Spain and Brazil. The Syntexinae includes three genera: the extant Syntexis Rohwer, 1915 and two Lower Cretaceous genera, Eosyntexis Rasnitsyn, 1990 (Neocomian of East Siberia, Berriasian of England and Barremian of Spain) and Cretosyntexis Rasnitsyn & Martínez-Delclòs, 2000 (Barremian of Spain) (see Fig. 5). New diagnosis of Syntexinae. Pedicel as long as scape (known only for Syntexis and Eosyntexis parva n. sp.) (Figs. 2G and 4B). Pronotum with dorsal face well developed and crossed by medial suture or impressed line (Fig. 2C). Mesonotum with distinct transverse rugae (known for Syntexis and Cretosyntexis, although in E. parva similar rugae are present on the pronotum) (Figs. 2A, C and 3E). Fore wing with SC completely lost, 1r-rs either longer than 2r-rs or lost. Hind wing with r-m placed near RS bending and with m-cu lost (known only for Syntexis and Eosyntexis senilis). Remarks. The Syntexinae show an important simplification and reduction of the wing venation (Fig. 1): fore wing with SC completely lost, RS more or less straightened between cells 1mcu and 2r due to 1r-rs crossvein either long or lost, distal R and RS sometimes lost; hind wing when known with distal venation somewhat reduced, with r-m crossvein displaced basally and m-cu lost. Also the long pedicel, furrowed pronotum and mesonotum with marked sculpture distinguish Syntexinae from the three other subfamilies.Published as part of Ortega-Blanco, J., Rasnitsyn, A. P. & Delclòs, X., 2008, First record of anaxyelid woodwasps (Hymenoptera: Anaxyelidae) in Lower Cretaceous Spanish amber, pp. 39-50 in Zootaxa 1937 on pages 41-4