Perilampidae


The Perilampidae are a small family within the Chalcidoidea, composed mostly of hyperparasitoids. The family is closely related to the Eucharitidae, and the eucharitids appear to have evolved from within the Perilampidae, thus rendering the family paraphyletic. As presently defined, at least 15 genera and 270 species are described worldwide. They are often brilliantly metallic, with robust mesosomae and a small, triangular metasomae. They are generally very strongly sculptured. The prothorax is typically very broad and disc-like, and the labrum is multidigitate, a feature shared with the Eucharitidae.
Another feature shared by the Eucharitidae and Perilampidae is the first-instar larvae are called "planidia" and are responsible for gaining access to the host, rather than the egg-laying females. Those species which are hyperparasitoids burrow into a secondary host's body and seek out endoparasitoid larvae, such as tachinid flies or ichneumonoid wasps, and attack them.

Genera

These 17 genera belong to the family Perilampidae:
Data sources: i = ITIS, c = Catalogue of Life, g = GBIF, b = Bugguide.net