Original description

Walker, F. 1839. Monographia Chalciditum, I:119.

Synonyms

Elachestus complaniusculus Ratzeburg, Pleurotropis substrigosa Thomson, Derostenus nawai Ashmead, Rhopalotus chalcidiphagus Szelenyi.

Diagnosis

Antenna stout; head short and wide (width/length= 2.4); hind tibial spur elongate and bent, 0.4X as long as hind tarsus; scutellum entirely reticulate, meshes ± elongate and parallel; posterior margin of dorsellum rounded, without dents; propodeum with submedian carinae strongly diverging posteriorly; petiole as long as wide; first gastral tergite with very weak reticulation in posterior 1/3.

Distribution

Europe, Honduras, Japan, Korea, USA.

Biology

Primary, very often secondary, solitary or gregarious, endoparasitoid of larvae and pupae of various insects. The host list is extensive, see Peck (1963) and Boucek & Askew (1968) for compilations. In tropical America (Honduras) pyrgo was reared from eggs of Theridiidae (Araneae).

Depository of primary type

Syntypes in Natural History Museum (BMNH), London, England.