ABOUT PTEROMALIDAE

Pteromalidae Dalman, 1820 (see diagnosis) is one of the largest and most diverse family in the superfamily Chalcidoidea (third after Eulophidae and Encyrtidae), including 3544 (+ 20 extinct) species placed in 619 genera and 33 subfamilies (see classification). Their morphology and biology are extremely diverse, but the group is not monophyletic, as shown by several phylogenetic studies.

The pteromalids are abundent in most terrestrial ecosystems, their diversity being linked with the diversity of their potential hosts. The methods for collecting and preserving these tiny wasps are very diverse, but probably the most rewarding one, at least in terms of number of specimens / hour, remains the sweeping net.