Pteromalidae (parasitoids)

Chalcidoidea (parasitoids) • Hymenoptera parasitoids • Beneficials/natural enemies

an adult wasp of the genus Pteromalus (click on image to enlarge it)
Author(s): Martin Cooper
Source: Wikimedia Commons

Pteromalidae

This family of chalcid wasps includes around 600 genera and about 3,500 species. Many groups of insects are parasitised and the species can be ecto- or endoparasitoids. Several important biological control agents are members of this family and are commercially produced. The majority of species are idiobiont ectoparasitoids of larvae or pupae. Hosts are typically Diptera or Coleoptera but also includes other insect orders.

The adults have various sizes and are often metallic-green. The fore- and hind tarsi have 5 segments and the antennae 8-13.

The family of Pteromalidae has been shown to be polyphyletic and a taxonomic revision in 2022 by Burks et al., based on molecular and morphological criteria, has lead to various genera being assigned to other families. See for example the family Spalangiidae.

The following genera and individual species are currently entered under the family Pteromalidae:

• Anisopteromalus calandrae (parasitoid)
• Catolaccus grandis (parasitoid)
• Cyrtogaster vulgaris (parasitoid)
• Dibrachys (genus - parasitoids)
• Dinarmus basalis (parasitoid)
• Dinotiscus (genus - parasitoids)
• Halticoptera (genus - parasitoids)
• Lariophagus distinguendus (parasitoid)
• Mesopolobus (genus - parasitoids)
• Muscidifurax (genus - parasitoids)

• Nasonia (genus - parasitoids)
• Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae (parasitoid)
• Pteromalus (genus - parasitoids)
• Rhopalicus (genus - parasitoids)
• Roptrocerus (genus - parasitoids)
• Theocolax elegans (parasitoid)
• Trichomalopsis (genus - parasitoids)
• Trichomalus (genus - parasitoids)
• Urolepis rufipes (parasitoid)