Ufo (wasp)

Ufo
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Cynipidae
Tribe:	Synergini
Genus:	Ufo ; Melika & Pujade-Villar, 2005
Type species
	Ufo abei ; Melika & Pujade-Villar, 2005
Species
	See text

Last updated January 02, 2026

Ufo is a genus of gall wasps in the tribe Synergini, first discovered in Japan.^[1] Its genus name Ufo comes from the common phrase "unidentified flying object", in this case applied because the researchers did not know what the wasp was when they first saw it.^[1]

Species

Four species are currently classified within Ufo.^[2]

U. abei (type species) Melika & Pujade-Villar, 2005
U. cerroneuroteri Tang & Melika, 2012
U. koreanus Melika, Pujade-Villar & Choi, 2007
U. nipponicus Melika, 2012

Saphonecrus shirakashii and S. shirokashicola were formerly placed in Ufo, but further research indicated they were better placed in Saphonecrus .^[2]

References

1 2 Melika, G.; Ros-Farré, P.; Pénzes, Z.; Ács, Z; Pujade-Villar, J. (2005). "Ufo abei Melika et Pujade-Villar (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Synergini) new genus and new species from Japan" (PDF). Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae . 51 (4): 313–327. ISSN 2064-2474.
1 2 Melika, George; Tang, Chang-Ti; Yang, Man-Miao; Bihari, Péter; Bozsó, Miklós; Pénzes, Zsolt (2012). "New species of cynipid inquilines of the genus Ufo Melika & Pujade-Villar, 2005 (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Synergini)". Zootaxa . 3478 (1): 313–327. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3478.1.17. ISSN 1175-5326 – via ResearchGate.

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[:0-1] 1 2 Melika, G.; Ros-Farré, P.; Pénzes, Z.; Ács, Z; Pujade-Villar, J. (2005). "Ufo abei Melika et Pujade-Villar (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Synergini) new genus and new species from Japan" (PDF). Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae . 51 (4): 313–327. ISSN 2064-2474.

[:1-2] 1 2 Melika, George; Tang, Chang-Ti; Yang, Man-Miao; Bihari, Péter; Bozsó, Miklós; Pénzes, Zsolt (2012). "New species of cynipid inquilines of the genus Ufo Melika & Pujade-Villar, 2005 (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Synergini)". Zootaxa . 3478 (1): 313–327. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3478.1.17. ISSN 1175-5326 – via ResearchGate.

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