Eulophidae
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| iEulophidae | ||||||||||||||
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| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||
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| Diversity | ||||||||||||||
| 5 subfamilies c. 300 genera c. 4300 species | ||||||||||||||
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Eulophidae is a large family of hymenopteran insects, with over 4,300 described species in some 300 genera (see list of eulophid genera). These minute insects are challenging to study as they deteriorate rapidly after death unless extreme care is taken (e.g., preservation in ethanol), making identification of most museum specimens difficult. The larvae of a very few species feed on plants but the majority are primary parasitoids on a huge range of arthropods at all stages of development. Eulophids are found throughout the world in virtually all habitats (one is even aquatic, parasitising psephenid beetles).
Most species are separable from other Chalcidoidea by the possession of only 4 tarsomeres on each leg, and by a reduced number of flagellomeres compared to other families.
