Family EUCHARITIDAE
Introduction
The Eucharitidae is a relatively small family of chalcids, rather infrequently collected. They appear to be most closely related to Perilampidae. Both these families have a free living and active first instar larva, or planidia.
Eucharitids are all parasitoids of ants (except for the aberrant subfamily Echthrodapinae that parasitise twig-nesting bees), and their biology is rather unusual. Eggs are laid in very large numbers (up to 15,000) on vegetation. The first instar larvae are of the actively moving, planidial type. They attach themselves to passing ants, and are carried back to the ants' nest. Once inside the nest, the planidia actively search out ant larvae upon which they feed. Males can often be found swarming around the openings of ant nests waiting for the newly emerged females to leave the nest.
Economic Importance. None. Although Eucharitidae attack a variety of ants, they do not seem to exert any substantial control on any ants, let alone those of economic importance.
Distribution. Cosmopolitan, although mainly tropical and subtropical.
Classification. Boucek (1988) recognised five subfamilies within the Eucharitidae: Eucharitinae, Oraseminae, Akapalinae, Echthrodapinae, and Philomidinae. The two main subfamilies are the Eucharitinae and the Oraseminae. Both are worldwide in distribution, and almost all eucharitids collected will belong to these two subfamilies.
Important genera: Orasema, Kapala, Schizaspidia, Chalcura.
Identification of Australian genera: Keys to Australasian genera are included in Boucek (1988). Heraty (2002) provided keys to world genera of Eucharitidae.
Diagnosis
Pronotum small, invisible in dorsal view. Thorax dorsally vaulted in lateral view. Metasoma distinctly petiolate. Mandibles flat, sickle-shaped. Ovipositor short, downward curved. Prepectus lying in the same plane with, and usually fused to, the lateral face of the pronotum. The scutellum is often armed with a pair of conspicuous backwards projecting forked processes.
General References
Boucek, Z. 1988. Australasian Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera). A biosystematic revision of genera of fourteen families, with a reclassification of species. London : CAB International 832 pp.
Heraty, J.M. 2002. A revision of the genera of Eucharitidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) of the world. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 68: 1-367