Family EULOPHIDAE
Introduction
The Eulophidae is the largest family of chalcidoids, and probably the most commonly collected of all chalcids in all geographic realms. Eulophids display a remarkable diversity in their biologies. Parasitoid forms can be endoparasitoids or ectoparasitoids; idiobionts or koinobionts; solitary or gregarious; primary parasitoids, hyperparasitoids or facultative hyperparasitoids; specialists or generalists. Parasitoid species can attack eggs, larvae, pupae or even adults in a few cases. Predatory eulophids display a specialised form of parasitism in which the wasp larva consumes many prey within an enclosed space (such as a gall or an egg sac). Species that develop this way are known to consume spider eggs in silken egg sacs, eriophyid mites in galls, or even nematodes. Phytophagous species again display a variety of life styles, and may be inquilines within galls, gall-formers themselves, or internal seed feeders.
Economic Importance. The Eulophidae is the third most important family of Chalcidoidea used in biological control, although for number of successes they do not begin to rival Aphelinidae and Encyrtidae. A few Australian eulophids that form galls on Eucalyptus have recently become invasive pests in other parts of the world.
Distribution. Cosmopolitan.
Classification. Boucek (1988) recognised four subfamilies in the Eulophidae: Entedontinae, Euderinae, Eulophinae (containing and Tetrastichinae. More recently, Gauthier et al. (2000) modified this classification to some extent, but mainly by removing several tribes from the Eulophinae, and placing the Elasmini (previously recognised as a separate family) in the Eulophinae.
Important genera: Aprostocetus, Pediobius, Closterocerus, Euderus, Euplectrus, Ophelimus (gall formers on Eucalyptus), Pnigalio, Hemiptarsenus, Cirrospilus, Tetrastichus, Quadrastichus, Melittobia.
Identification of Australian genera: Keys to Australasian genera are included in Boucek (1988).
Diagnosis
Tarsi 4-segmented, with fore tibial spur short and straight. Antenna with 2–4 (rarely 5) funicular segments. Metasoma petiolate, not broadly attached to mesosoma. Axilla often produced forward of the scuto-scutellar suture. Marginal vein often relatively long.
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.
Gauthier, N., LaSalle, J., Quicke, D.L.J. & Godfray, H.C.J. 2000. Phylogeny of Eulophidae (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea), with a reclassification of Eulophinae and the recognition that Elasmidae are derived eulophids. Systematic Entomology 25: 521-539