[2] The family has changed several times since its taxonomic appearance after the work of Francis Walker in 1846[3] described from the wasp genus Agaon.

Previously the subfamilies Epichrysomallinae, Otitesellinae, Sycoecinae, Sycoryctinae, Sycophaginae, and Agaoninae were the subdivisions of the family.

[4] Recent works building strong molecular phylogenies with an extended sampling size have changed the composition of Agaonidae.

The paraphyletic groups have been excluded; Epichrysomallinae was raised to family status (Epichrysomallidae), whereas Otitesellinae, Sycoecinae, Sycophaginae, and Sycoryctinae were transferred to Pteromalidae.

The winged female wasps can fly over long distances before finding another fig to oviposit in it, while the male dies after chewing a hole.