Immatures of Hover Wasps (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Stenogastrinae)

Immatures of 17 species of 5 stenogastrine genera (Liostenogaster, Eustenogaster, Stenogaster, Anischnogaster, Parischnogaster) are described. Frequency distributions of head capsule widths suggest the presence of five larval instars in the Stenogastrinae, as in the Vespinae and Polistinae. Polarities of immature characters are evaluated using the Polistinae+Vespinae as an out-group. Some larval characters (papilla on antennal plate, arrangement of mandibular teeth, paired setae behind the labial palpi, long setae on thoracic segments, large first spiracle) and one pupal character (conical prongs on mesosoma) are general in the Stenogastrinae and hypothesized to be autapomorphies of the subfamily. No immature characters are informative for reconstructing phylogenetic relationships among genera of the subfamily.