Eupelmidae
Encyclopedia
Eupelmidae is a family of parasitic wasp
s in the superfamily Chalcidoidea. The group is apparently polyphyletic, though the different subfamilies may each be monophyletic, and may be elevated to family status in the near future. As presently defined, there are over 905 described species in 45 genera. The larva
e of the majority are primary parasitoid
s, commonly on beetle
larvae, though many other hosts are attacked, including spider
s, and details of the life history can be variable (e.g., some attack eggs and others are hyperparasite
s). They are found throughout the world in virtually all habitats.
They are somewhat variable in appearance, though a fair number of species are relatively easy to separate from other Chalcidoidea by the possession of a medially concave mesonotum. They also have the unusual tendency to arch the body strongly upwards when dead, with the head and metasoma
often nearly touching above the thorax.
Parasitic wasp
The term parasitoid wasp refers to a large evolutionary grade of hymenopteran superfamilies, mainly in the Apocrita. They are primarily parasitoids of other animals, mostly other arthropods...
s in the superfamily Chalcidoidea. The group is apparently polyphyletic, though the different subfamilies may each be monophyletic, and may be elevated to family status in the near future. As presently defined, there are over 905 described species in 45 genera. The larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e of the majority are primary parasitoid
Parasitoid
A parasitoid is an organism that spends a significant portion of its life history attached to or within a single host organism in a relationship that is in essence parasitic; unlike a true parasite, however, it ultimately sterilises or kills, and sometimes consumes, the host...
s, commonly on beetle
Beetle
Coleoptera is an order of insects commonly called beetles. The word "coleoptera" is from the Greek , koleos, "sheath"; and , pteron, "wing", thus "sheathed wing". Coleoptera contains more species than any other order, constituting almost 25% of all known life-forms...
larvae, though many other hosts are attacked, including spider
Spider
Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
s, and details of the life history can be variable (e.g., some attack eggs and others are hyperparasite
Hyperparasite
A hyperparasite is a parasite whose host is a parasite. This form of parasitism is especially common among entomophagous parasites....
s). They are found throughout the world in virtually all habitats.
They are somewhat variable in appearance, though a fair number of species are relatively easy to separate from other Chalcidoidea by the possession of a medially concave mesonotum. They also have the unusual tendency to arch the body strongly upwards when dead, with the head and metasoma
Metasoma
The metasoma is the posterior part of the body, or tagma, of arthropods whose body is composed of three parts, the other two being the prosoma and the mesosoma. In insects, it contains most of the digestive tract, respiratory system, and circulatory system, and the apical segments are typically...
often nearly touching above the thorax.