Overview
The Australasian fauna is very poorly studied. The biology of the group is inferred largely from studies of northern hemisphere species. They have been reared as primary
parasitoids
of scale insects (Hemiptera), Neuroptera (lacewings) or the puparia of Diptera (flies), and some species are hyperparasitic on aphids (Hemiptera) via aphidiine
braconids.
Description
They vary in size from about 1.5 3 mm, and can be recognised by the slightly curved stigmal vein in the fore wing, the mesoscutum with three posteriorly converging longitudinal grooves, and the anterior margin of the metasoma with a neck-like constriction. All females and most males have a large spot-like pterostigma in the fore wing, and the antennae are inserted low on the face but are separated from each other rather than almost touching basally (as in
Scelionidae
). Some species are brachypterous (short-winged) or apterous (wingless).
Distribution
This small family is closely related to the
Ceraphronidae.
Forty-eight species are described for Australia, while the New Zealand fanua is only known from introduced taxa.
Further information about the Megaspilidae can be found in Dessart 1995, Johnson & Musetti 2004, Masner 1993 and Musebeck 1979.