Classification, distribution & hosts

Following Noyes (2015) the family Pteromalidae includes over 3500 species in about 600 genera and 33 subfamilies (Universal Chalcidoidea Database), showing the great diversity of this group (number of known genera in parantheses).

Recently the following modifications have been proposed by Heraty et al. (2013): Cratominae and Panstenoninae as synonyms of Pteromalinae; Epichrysomallinae included in Pteromalidae (previously was in Eurytomidae).

The images are not intended for subfamily diagnosis, but to give a general perspective on their morphology (hopefully they will be added / replaced with better ones soon). Click on Distribution to display a map (please note that only the general distribution e.g. Palaearctic, Neotropical etc. is shown; a taxon may not be present in the whole region).

Asaphinae (5)

Distribution - Hosts: Homoptera (Aphidae, Coccoidea), Hymenoptera (Aphidiidae), Neuroptera, Siphonaptera

Austrosystasinae (1)

Distribution - Hosts: unknown (associated with galls of Eleocarpus)

Austroterobiinae (2)

Distribution - Hosts: Homoptera (Margarodidae)

Ceinae (3)

Distribution - Hosts: Diptera (Agromyzidae, Drosophilidae)

Cerocephalinae (13)

Distribution - Hosts: Coleoptera (mainly Scolytidae, Anobiidae), Hymenoptera (Braconidae)

Chromeurytominae (3)

Distribution - Hosts: Lepidoptera (Gracilariidae)

Cleonyminae (43)

Distribution - Hosts: Coleoptera (Cerambycidae, Scolytidae), Hymenoptera (Eurytomidae, various Aculeata)

Coelocybinae (17)

Distribution - Hosts: unknown (associated with galls on trees)

Colotrechninae (19)

Distribution - Hosts: Coleoptera (Anthribidae), ?Diptera, associated with many galls

Diparinae (16)

Distribution - Hosts: Coleoptera (Curculionidae)

Ditropinotellinae (1)

Distribution - Hosts: unknown (associated with galls on trees and shrubs)

Elatoidinae (1)

Distribution - Hosts: Homoptera (Pseudococcidae)

Epichrysomallinae (19) [recently included in Pteromalidae (Heraty et al., 2013)]

Distribution - Hosts: Ficus (non-pollinators)

Erotolepsiinae (4)

Distribution - Hosts: unknown

Eunotinae (23)

Distribution - Hosts: Homoptera (Coccoidea, Psyllidae, Aphidae), including egg predators

Eutrichosomatinae (4)

Distribution - Hosts: Coleoptera (Curculionidae)

Herbertiinae (1)

Distribution - Hosts: Diptera (Agromyzidae)

Keiraninae (1)

Distribution - Hosts: Homoptera (Margarodidae)

Leptofoeninae (2)

Distribution - Hosts: unknown (possibly wood-boring Coleoptera)

Louriciinae (1)

Distribution - Hosts: Coleoptera (Cerambycidae)

Macromesinae (1)

Distribution - Hosts: Coleoptera (Scolytidae, Curculionidae)

Miscogasterinae (37)

Distribution - Hosts: Diptera (mainly Agromyzidae, Cecidomyiidae, Chloropidae), Lepidoptera (Nepticulidae)

Nefoeninae (1)

Distribution - Hosts: unknown (possibly wood-boring Coleoptera)

Neodiparinae (1)

Distribution - Hosts: unknown

Ormocerinae (42)

Distribution - Hosts: Diptera (Cecidomyiidae), Hymenoptera (Cynipidae); also gall-makers

Otitesellinae (15)

Distribution - Hosts: Ficus (non-pollinators)

Parasaphodinae (1)

Distribution - Hosts: Homoptera (Margarodidae, Stictococcidae, Eriococcidae)

Pireninae (17)

Distribution - Hosts: Diptera (Cecidomyiidae)

Pteromalinae (320, including Cratomus and Panstenon)

Distribution - Hosts: Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera, Arachnida (egg predators)

Spalangiinae (2)

Distribution - Hosts: Diptera (mainly Muscidae, Calliphoridae, Sarcophagidae)

Storeyinae (1)

Distribution - Hosts: unknown

Sycoecinae (6)

Distribution - Hosts: Ficus (non-pollinators)

Sycoryctinae (11)

Distribution - Hosts: Agaoninae (Hymenoptera: Agaonidae) and Sycophaginae (Hymenoptera: Agaonidae); Ficus (non-pollinators)