Fig 1. B. ryukyuensis Habu	Fig 2. B. podagrica (Fabricius)
Fig 3. Brachymeria sp.	Fig 4. Head - lateral view
Fig 5. Forewing	Fig 6. Gaster
Fig 7. Propodeum

Brachymeria Westwood, 1829

Taxonomy

Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Chalcididae: Chalcidinae

Diagnosis

Antennae with eleven segments.
Gaster attached at coxae broad.
Gaster sessile, petiole mostly concealed in dorsal view, propodeal spiracle elongate in oblique subhorizontal direction.
Frontogenal sulcus below eyes distinct, usually carinate (Fig. 4).
Postmarginal vein often longer than short stigma (Fig. 5).

Biology / Hosts

Mostly parasites in pupae of holometabolous insects, especially of Lepidoptera but certain species attack Coleoptera, Hymenoptera and Diptera. Although some species are obligatory or occasional hyperparasites, attacking either the primary parasite (ichneumonid, braconid or tachinid) or its host, others are solely primary (Bouček, 1988).

Distribution

Cosmopolitan.

References

• Bouček, Z. (1988). Australasian Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera). A biosystematic revision of genera of fourteen families, with a reclassification of species. CAB International, Wallingford, Oxon, U.K., Cambrian News Ltd; Aberystwyth, Wales. 832 pp.
• Narendran, T.C. (1989). Oriental Chalcididae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea). Zoological Monograph. Department of Zoology, University of Calicut, Kerala, India. 441 pp.
• Noyes, J.S. (2016). Universal Chalcidoidea Database. World Wide Web electronic publication. http://www.nhm.ac.uk/chalcidoids (accessed on 28/9/2016).