Overview
Nothing is known about their host associations, but because of their size, and simple ovipositor, it has been hypothesised that they are
idiobiont parasitoids on the eggs of various insects (like mymarids). They are sometimes collected u
sing yellow pan traps.
Description
This family was previously placed in the Chalcidoidea but is now considered to be in a separate superfamily, Mymarommatoidea. Mymarommatids are tiny wasps (<1 mm) that are characterised by having a strongly convex face; a pleated membrane across the vertex of the head that can move in a bellows-like fashion; the fore wing spoon-shaped and veinless with a long marginal fringe (as in most
Mymaridae);
the hind wing stalk-like; and petiole 2-segmented.
Distribution
Currently the family comprises a single genus,
Palaeomymar
, with nine described species worldwide - three from Australia and one from New Zealand. However, numerous new taxa exist in collections, including wingless and brachypterous (short-winged) species.
Further information about the Mymarommatidae can be found in Gibson 1986, Gibson 1993, Naumann 1991 and Noyes & Valentine 1989.