Fore wing with submarginal vein (SMV) with 2 or more setae dorsally. Postmarginal vein (PMV) reduced, less than 0.5 the length of the stigmal vein (STV), or absent.
Antenna of female with anelli discoid to laminar, usually 4, rarely 3 or 2; funicle 3-segmented. Male antenna with plaque on scape quite large and with funicle 4-segmented. Club most often with 3 segments. In almost all males, each funicular segment bears a compact subbasal whorl of moderately long to very long dark setae. Male scape sometimes swollen.
Anterior margin of clypeus bidentate. Mandible tridentate. Malar sulcus present, usually straight or just weakly curved, rarely with fovea below the eye.
Thorax with pronotum usually short and without a transverse carina. Notauli present and complete. Midlobe of mesoscutum with a single row of adnotaular setae just mesal to the notaulus. Scutellum with 2 pairs of setae and with 2 pairs of longitudinal lines. Mid lobe of mesoscutum with or without a median line.
Median carina usually present; plicae and paraspicular carinae absent. Propodeum with a raised lobe of the callus, which partially overhangs the outer rim of the spiracles.
Cercal setae unequal in length, with one being distinctly longer than the others and sinuate.
Colour of the body metallic or non metallic, with or without pale markings.
Ovipositor usually projecting at least slightly, sometimes very far, in rare case even longer than the body.