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Classification

The 5,000+ species of Pompilidae are currently classified into four subfamilies:

 

Ceropalinae, Pepsinae, Ctenocerinae, and Pompilinae.

 

Ceropalinae: Contains two genera, pantropical Irenangelus and cosmopolitan Ceropales. Cleptoparasitic on other pompilids.

 

Ctenocerinae: Approximately 12 described genera from Africa, South America, and Australia. Morphology suggests that they are parasitic on trap door spiders. Also
includes the predominately tropical genus, Epipompilus. Ectoparasitoids.

 

Pepsinae: Contains >2000 species in ~60 or more genera. Includes some of the largest pompilids. Mostly predatoids, but some are ectoparasitoids and some may be cleptoparasites.

 

Pompilinae: Contains >2000 species in ~60 or more genera. Includes predatoids and cleptoparasites. Also includes the predominantly Neotropical genus Notocyphus and oriental Minotocyphus. Larvae are ectoparasitoids of spiders.