Phylogeny of Eulophidae (Hymenoptera : Chalcidoidea), with a reclassification of Eulophinae and the recognition that Elasmidae are derived eulophids

Eulophidae is a large and biologically varied family of parasitoid wasps, t raditionally split into four subfamilies; Elasmidae is a uniform (single ge nus) and morphologically distinct family of wasps that are thought to be re lated to Eulophidae. The D2 region of the 28S rDNA gene (approximate to 560 bp) of eighty-seven species of eulophid, three species of elasmid and sixte en outgroup species in five families was sequenced. Cladograms were constru cted, and the results compared with conclusions drawn from morphological st udies. The gene was most informative at the level of subfamily and tribe. T he monophyly of both Eulophinae and Tetrastichinae is supported; that of En tedoninae and Euderinae is less clear. Results indicate that Eulophinae is a derived group within Eulophidae, rather than an ancestral group as previo usly thought, and that Elasmus, the sole genus of Elasmidae, belongs within this subfamily. The tribes of Eulophinae are reassessed and only three acc epted: Eulophini (including Euplectrini and Elachertini), Elasmini and Cirr ospilini LaSalle trib.n. for Boucek's Ophelimini with Ophelimus and Austral secodes excluded. Three small Australian tribes, Anselmellini, Ophelimini a nd Platytetracampini, are removed from Eulophinae and Entedoninae, respecti vely, but their exact relationships and subfamily status cannot as yet be d ecided. Another tribe, Keryini, known from a single Australian genus, is ex cluded from both Eulophinae and Eulophidae.