Gondwanan-relict
Guides
Proctotrupidae
Proctotrupidae is a family of small parasitoid wasps in the superfamily Proctotrupoidea, comprising approximately 400 described species across more than 30 genera with an estimated total diversity of around 675-1200 species. Members are primarily endoparasitoids of coleopteran larvae, particularly in families Carabidae, Staphylinidae, and Elateridae, though some genera parasitize fungus gnats (Mycetophilidae, Sciaridae) and concealer moths (Oecophoridae). Females in many species are wingless and soil-dwelling, capable of detecting host larvae in burrows. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution with notable Gondwanan relict elements in the subfamily Austroserphinae.