Abstract: Eulophids provide a valuable experimental model system to investigate a wide variety of questions in the evolution of parasitic wasps. Notauli, an important taxonomic character in the family Eulophidae, is used to differentiate subfamilies, tribes, genera and species. However, abundant morphological homoplasy in this family has made it difficult to confidently identify many eulophid taxa at specific level. Both Cirrospilus ambiguous and Diglyphus bimaculatus are considered to have notauli patterns that are intermediate between their respective genera. Determining the phylogenetic position of both species may facilitate studying the evolution of notauli patterns. We analyzed COⅠ, ITS1 and 28S sequences using Bayesian method. C. ambiguous was transferred into the monophyletic Diglyphus, and the monophyly of Cirrospilus, however, was not supported. The types of notauli were examined in the context of the phylogeny based on 28S gene sequences. The complete notauli in the Eulophidae extending to the hind margin of the mesoscutum was inferred to represent the ancestral form. The complete notauli that curves to meet the apex of the axillae occurs independently in five clades. Each occurrence represents a unique independent evolution. The incomplete form of notauli occurred in four clades, indicating that the shape independently evolved four times.

Key words: Eulophidae, molecular systematics, Cirrospilus ambiguus, Diglyphus bimaculatus, notauli, evolution