This group has been treated as both a family (Peck 1963, Peck, Boucek, and Hoffer 1964, Boucek 1988) and as a subfamily of Eulophidae (Burks 1965 ,1979, Yoshimoto 1984). The trend now seems to be again swinging toward treating the group as a family since the relationship of Elasmus to other eulophids has not been well established. At present, only species in the genus Elasmus are included in the group, although other genera have been included in the past (Ashmead 1904). These other genera are all now placed in the subfamily Eriaporinae of the Aphelinidae. The North American species were reviewed by Burks (1965) and Coote (in Gibson, et al. 1997) reviewed the recent history of the family.

STATISTICS: Number of world species: about 200 (Nearctic 16, Neotropical 20); number of world genera: 1.

BIOLOGY: Elasmids are primary or hyperparasitic on a variety of Lepidoptera and Hymenoptera.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERS: The Elasmidae are easily recognized by the greatly enlarged hindcoxae and the wavy lines or diamond-shaped patterns of setae on the hindtibiae. The elongated, overhanging flange of the scutellum is also useful, but sometimes harder to see. No other family possesses these characters.

COLLECTING: Elasmids may be swept almost anytime, anywhere, but they are not particularly abundant.

DISTRIBUTION: Elamids have been described from all the major zoogeographical regions.