Scelioninae


Scelioninae is a subfamily of wasps in the family Platygastridae. It is a very large cosmopolitan group of exclusively parasitoid wasps, mostly small, often black, often highly sculptured, with elbowed antennae that have a 9- or 10-segmented flagellum. It was formerly considered to be a family Scelionidae but has been reclassified as a subfamily of the Platygastridae.
The subfamilies Scelioninae, Teleasinae, and Telenominae were formerly in the family Scelionidae, but Scelionidae was combined with the family Platygastridae because of genetic similarities. The name Platygastridae was retained for the resulting family because of seniority.

Biology

They are generally idiobionts, attacking the eggs of many different types of insects, spiders, butterflies and many are important in biological control. Several genera are wingless, and a few attack aquatic insect eggs underwater.
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