Maaminga

{{Short description|Genus of wasps}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2024}}

{{Automatic Taxobox

| image = Maaminga marrisi AMNZ17769 s.jpg

| image_caption = Maaminga marrisi lateral view

| taxon = Maaminga

| authority =

| subdivision_ranks = Species

| subdivision = *Maaminga marrisi Early, Manser, Naumann, & Austin, 2001

• Maaminga rangi Early, Manser, Naumann, & Austin, 2001

| image2 = Maaminga marrisi AMNZ17769 d.jpg

| image2_caption = Maaminga marrisi dorsal view

| parent_authority = Early, Manser, Naumann, & Austin, 2001

| display_parents = 2

}}

File:Maaminga rangi.jpg

Maaminga is a genus of parasitic wasps containing two species and constituting the family Maamingidae. So far only known from New Zealand, the two named species are Maaminga marrisi and M. rangi.{{Cite web|url=http://www.aucklandmuseum.com/discover/collections/explore-highlights/maamingidae-a-family-of-insects-unique-to-nz|title=Maamingidae: A family of insects unique to NZ|website=www.aucklandmuseum.com|access-date=16 November 2017}} The genus (and family) name derives from the Māori word "māminga", simply translated as "trickster" as the species evaded discovery for so long.

The delicate and slender Maaminga rangi is common in forests, particularly kauri forests of the northern part of the North Island. The more robust and stocky Maaminga marrisi, which is polymorphic for wing size (brachyterous, fully winged), appears to be associated with coastal scrub, and forest, particularly on offshore islands, but is also found in alpine snow tussock. Maamingidae was placed within the Proctotrupoidea,{{cite journal|last1=Early|first1=J. W.|last2=Masner|first2=L.|last3=Naumann|first3=I. D.|last4=Austin|first4=A. D.|title=Maamingidae, a new family of proctotrupoid wasp (Insecta: Hymenoptera) from New Zealand|journal=Invertebrate Systematics|volume=15|issue=3|pages=341–352|doi=10.1071/IT00053|url=http://www.publish.csiro.au/?act=view_file&file_id=IT00053.pdf|year=2001}} but was later moved to the superfamily Diaprioidea along with Diapriidae and Monomachidae.{{Cite journal|last1=Sharkey|first1=Michael J.|last2=Carpenter|first2=James M.|last3=Vilhelmsen|first3=Lars|last4=Heraty|first4=John|last5=Liljeblad|first5=Johan|last6=Dowling|first6=Ashley P.G.|last7=Schulmeister|first7=Susanne|last8=Murray|first8=Debra|last9=Deans|first9=Andrew R.|date=2012-02-01|title=Phylogenetic relationships among superfamilies of Hymenoptera|journal=Cladistics|language=en|volume=28|issue=1|pages=80–112|doi=10.1111/j.1096-0031.2011.00366.x|issn=1096-0031|citeseerx=10.1.1.721.8852|s2cid=33628659}}