Agaonidae has historically been defined as the family that pollinates figs. Recently Boucek (1988) revised its classification to include a number of taxa that were placed in other families. All taxa are associated with figs, perhaps as parasitoids and inquilines, but exact biological relationships are not well documented. The classification of agaonids and related taxa is discussed and summarized by Boucek (1988) and is both complicated and confusing. Currently there is some disagreement on the limits of Agaonidae, and there is no explicit method to define the family. We follow Boucek (1988, 1993a, and in Gibson, et al. 1997) in recognizing the following subfamilies from the Nearctic:

Agaoninae: 4 genera and 7 species (including 3 genera and 5 species introduced along with their figs)

Epichrysomallinae: 1 introduced genus with 2 species

Otitesellinae: 4 genera and 5 species (apparently 2 genera and 2 species introduced along with their fig)

Sycoryctinae: 1 genus with 1 introduced species

Sycophaginae: 1 genus with 1 native species

Hill gave a list (1967a, 1967b) and a key (1967b) to world genera of Agaonidae (= Agaoninae). Grandi (1963) cataloged the world species of Agaoninae. Stange and Knight (1987) reported two newly introduced species in Florida (on introduced figs, but see Boucek 1993a) and gave a key to identify Florida species of fig wasps. Boucek (1993a) provided keys to subfamilies, genera, and some species for the New World (this replaces the work of Butcher 1964). Wiebes (1995) gave keys to the naturally occurring genera and species of New World Agaoninae.

STATISTICS: Number of world species: about 600 (16 Nearctic); number of world genera: about 70 (11 Nearctic).

BIOLOGY: Species of this family are associated with the receptacles of figs but exact host relationships are unknown.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERS: Females of Agaoninae can be separated from other chalcidoids by the exserted ovipositor and the forward-projecting head with mandibles modified with a rasplike appendage. Females of Sycoryctinae, Sycophaginae, and Epichrysomallinae may be distinguished largely by forewing venation in which the stigmal vein is nearly as long as the marginal vein (or if sessile, the postmarginal vein is absent), and the stigmal vein is nearly right-angled from the marginal vein. Otitesellinae will key to Pteromalidae in this manual, and there is currently no easy method to recognize them except by host. Agaonids rarely have an occipital carina, which helps distinguish them from most (but not all) Torymidae. Males of many species are wingless and highly modified being definitely bizarre among chalcidoids and distinguished from them by habitus.

COLLECTING: Rearing is generally the preferred method for collecting fig wasps. It is essential to get the correct host data (i.e., fig species). Agaonids are one of the few groups of chalcidoids that are attracted to blacklight traps.

DISTRIBUTION: Fig wasps are widely dispersed in the tropical areas of the world. They are apparently freely moved around in fig plants used in the horticultural trade. The Nearctic members of Agaonidae are known only from California, Arizona, and Florida.