Family: Tenthredinidae
Family common name: common sawflies
Subfamily: Allantinae
Tribe: Empriini
Genus: Haymatus D.R. Smith, 1979
Subgenera: none
The Tenthredinidae are the most species-rich family and are found throughout the world, in all continents but Antarctica. They are known as the “common sawflies.” They can generally be recognized by a cylindrical body and long, segmented antennae. Otherwise, they come in a variety of colors, sizes, and forms (Goulet 1992).
Sawflies in the Allantinae subfamily are mostly black and shining, sometimes with other colors. They have agricultural importance as some species are pests on cultivated and ornamental plants (Smith 1979a). They can be distinguished from other subfamilies by wing venation (Smith 2003a).
Haymatus is monotypic (Taeger et al. 2010). Haymatus blassus is 5.5–8 mm in length and mostly black, sometimes with red coloring on the female pronotum, mesonotum, and/or mesoscutellum (Smith 1979a).
There is one described extant species worldwide, and it is Nearctic (Taeger et al. 2010).
A Nearctic key to species is included in Smith 1979a.
Subfamily characters
Genus characters​
Haymatus can be confused with similar species in the subfamily Allantinae or tribe Empriini. It can be distinguished by the straight clypeal margin, long antennae, and a lack of abdominal spots (Smith 1979a, Smith 1994a).
none
unknown
The biology of Haymatus is unknown. Other genera in the subfamily feed on leaves and pupate in the soil (Smith 1979a).
World: This genus is only known from North America (Taeger et al. 2010).
North America: Haymatus blassus occurs in South Carolina and Georgia (Smith 1994a).
Map data from the Smithsonian National Musuem of Natural History (USNM)
Details about data used for maps can be found here.
Sawfly Gen
