Scelionidae

Definition

A large, cosmopolitan family of small parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea), ranging 0.5–10 mm, typically dark-colored with sculptured integument and geniculate (elbowed) antennae bearing a 9- or 10-segmented flagellum. Members are exclusively idiobiont parasitoids, primarily attacking eggs of insects and spiders, and are important agents of biological control. Formerly treated as a subfamily of Platygastridae, Scelionidae was reinstated as a distinct family in modern phylogenetic classifications of Platygastroidea.

Etymology

From genus Scelio (Greek skelios, 'crooked' or 'limping', perhaps referring to body form or antennae) + -idae (family suffix)

Example

Trissolcus basalis (Scelionidae) is a widely released egg parasitoid of stink bugs (Pentatomidae) in agricultural biocontrol programs.

Related Terms

• Platygastridae
• Platygastroidea
• idiobiont
• Parasitoid
• egg parasitoid
• Biological control
• Hymenoptera

Usage Notes

Taxonomic status has shifted: historically a subfamily of Platygastridae, now recognized as a separate family based on molecular and morphological data. The term is used in both taxonomic and applied entomology contexts. Specialists distinguish Scelionidae from the morphologically similar Platygastridae by antennal segmentation and other features. Not to be confused with the unrelated wasp family Scoliidae.