User:Alandmanson/Hymenoptera of Africa - Encyrtidae

Diagnostic features of Encyrtidae
In macro photographs, encyrtids are often recognizable using these features: 1. Large mesopleuron, usually covering more than half of the thorax (mesosoma) in side view. 2. Mid coxae join the thorax near the middle of the mesopleuron. 3. Mesoscutum transverse (width greater than length), and generally not segmented by notauli. 4. The axillae are usually visible as triangles with two long sides, one adjacent to the mesoscutum and the other adjacent to the scutellum; the short side of the triangle is adjacent to the base of the forewing. The axillae touch, or nearly touch, medially; appearing as wedges between the mesoscutum and the scutellum. 5. Cercal plates (at the base of the cercal bristles) are advanced; rather than being near the posterior tip of the metasoma (abdomen); they are usually within the anterior (front) two-thirds of the metasoma. 6. In Encyrtidae with fully developed wings, the marginal vein of the forewing is usually shorter than stigmal vein; there is also an oblique band on the forewing that lacks setae (a linea calva).