Relatively little biology of Acanthoscelio is known, and most assessments of biology must be inferred from knowledge from related taxa and/or by comparative morphology.

Hosts: Members of the tribe Scelionini are believed to be strict egg parasitoids of short-horned grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae) (Kozlov, 1970; Masner, 1976). This assessment is based upon host records acquired from the genera Scelio, Sceliocerdo, and Synoditella (Muesebeck, 1972) and Pseudoheptascelio (Masner, 1972). However no host records are known explicitly for Acanthoscelio (Austin & Field, 1997).

However, Acanthoscelio and Scelio (+Sceliocerdo, Synoditella, and Pseudoheptascelio) possess a "Scelio-type" ovipositor system (Field & Austin, 1994; Austin & Field, 1997). The "Scelio-type" ovipositor has a telescopic tube form from the elongation of the intersegmental membrane between metasomatic tergites 6 and 7. Since it is an intersegmental membrane, the telescopic tube is very flexible and capable of bending around obstructions. The elongated telescopic tube allows the ovipositor to be extruded from the metasoma greater distances. This elongation of the telescopic tube allows the wasp to insert its progeny into acridid eggs deep in the soil.

The "Scelio-type" ovipositor also has the lateral apodemes incorporated into the wall of the most distal section of the telescopic tube, loss of the retractor muscles associated with the lateral apodemes, and loss of the medial apodeme and its associated musculature. Therefore the ovipositor cannot be extruded from (or retracted into) the metasoma by musculature contraction. Instead, ovipositor extension and contraction are caused by changes in hydrostatic pressure within the metasoma. The changes in hydrostatic pressure are caused by contraction of muscles connecting the sternites and tergites (Field & Austin, 1994).

There are slight differences between the ovipositor of Acanthoscelio and other genera within Scelionini. For example, Acanthoscelio (and potentially Oreiscelio) have no serrated structures on the gonoplacs (whereas Scelio sp. possess these serrated structures) (Field & Austin, 1994). This could mean that Acanthoscelio parasitizes hosts with a weaker chorion. Acanthoscelio, Oreiscelio, and Heptascelio have no spines on the proximal apex of the gonoplacs (Austin & Field, 1997). Acanthoscelio and Oreiscelio have moderately elongated proximal arms (0.2-0.25 X the length of the ovipositor) in comparison with the remaining genera in Scelionini (which have proximal arms >0.15 to <0.25 X the length of the ovipositor). (Proximal arms attach the metasomatic segment 8 to the ovipositor.) This could mean that Acanthoscelio parasitizes hosts located in deeper soil.

Netrion: The netrion is an area 1) anterior to the sulcus dividing the pronotum and mesopleuron and 2) between the prothoracic spiracle and fore coxa. Certain individuals interpret the netrion as the prepectus fused to the pronotum (Rasnitsyn, 1980) Others interpret the netrion as a secondary ventral extension of the pronotum following fusion of the prepectus with the netrion (Gibson, 1985) based upon 1) the mesothoracic spiracle is surrounded by pronotal cuticle, 2) the sulcus delineating the posterior edge of the netrion is anterior to the mesothoracic spiracle in the "pleisiomorphic scelionid" Nixonia (Masner, 1979).

The netrion of the Acanthoscelio is distinct from other scelionids in the tribe Scelionini (Masner, 1979). The netrion of Acanthoscelio 1) is not spindlelike, 2) has an anterior margin that does not meet the promesothoracic suture above the fore coxa, and 3) is vaguely keeled.

Unfortunately, the functions of the netrion and its associated modifications are not entirely clear. Masner (1979) suggests that the netrion is a sight for muscular attachment. Gibson (1985) suggests that the netrion is meant to strengthen the lateral wall of the pronotum.

Mesopleural carina: The mesopleural carina is a keel that extends along the anterior of the mesopleural depression (Masner, 1979). (The mesopleural depression is a large diagonal declivity in the mesepisternum designed for inception of the middle femur.) Function of the mesopleural carina is unknown.

Within the tribe Scelionini, Acanthoscelio is the only genus with a "well-defined" mesopleural carina (Masner, 1979).