Ancistrocerus longispinosus

Ancistrocerus longispinosus is a species of potter wasp, belonging to the family Vespidae, subfamily Eumeninae.

Ancistrocerus longispinosus
Ancistrocerus longispinosus longispinosus. Dorsal view
Side view
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Vespidae
Subfamily:	Eumeninae
Genus:	Ancistrocerus
Species:	A. longispinosus
Binomial name
Ancistrocerus longispinosus (Saussure, 1855)
Synonyms
Odynerus longispinosus Saussure, 1855

Etymology

The Latin genus name Ancistrocerus means hooked horn. for the back-curved last segments of the antennae characteristic of males. The species name longispinosus means with long thorns.

Subspecies

Subspecies include: [1][2]

• Ancistrocerus longispinosus longispinosus (Saussure, 1855)
• Ancistrocerus longispinosus gazelloides Giuglia, 1945 (endemic to Corsica and Sardinia) [3]
• Ancistrocerus longispinosus hellenicus Blüthgen, 1957

Distribution

This species is present in Southern Europe (Albania, Balearic Islands, Croatia, Cyprus, Dodecanese Islands, European Turkey, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Ukraine), in the Near East and in North Africa. [4]

Description

These nonpetiolate eumenine wasps has a transverse ridge at the bending summit of the first metasomal tergum and a low and opaque propodeal lamella completely fused to the submarginal carina. The second sternite is more or less concave at the base, the propodeum is black and the wings are darkened at the apex. They show four yellow abdominal bands, Legs are mainly yellow.[5]

Biology

These wasp have a solitary lifestyle. Mothers nest alone, usually utilizing pre-existing cavities. They provide larvae with preserved preys (mainly Lepidopteran, Coleopteran and Hymenopteran larvae) that they paralyze with their sting.

Bibliography

• Guido Pagliano (2003) Naturalista Siciliano, Giornale di Scienze Naturali. Ricerche imenotterologiche nelle isole di Lampedusa e Pantelleria, Volume: 27 Pages: 115-149 (in Italian)
• Horst-Günter Woydak (2001) Natur und Heimat Die solitären Faltenwespen: Eumenidae (Lehmwespen) und Masaridae (Honigwespen im Westfälischen Museum für Naturkunde Münster, Volume: 61 Pages: 85-95 (in German)
• Antonio Giordani Soika (1966) Boll.Mus.Civ.Stor.nat.Venezia Notulae vespidologicae XXIV. Ancistrocerus plaeartici nuovi o poco noti., Volume: 17 Pages: 81-88 (in Italian)

References

1. Biolib
2. Catalogue of Life
3. Libor Dvořák New and noteworthy records of vespid wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) from the Palaearctic region
4. Fauna Europaea
5. J. GüSENLEITNER Linzer biol. Beitr.27/2753-77529.12.1995Bestimmungstabellen mittel- und südeuropäischer Eumeniden (Vespoidea, Hymenoptera) Teil 4:Die Gattung Ancistrocerus WESMAEL 1836 mit einem Nachtragzum Teil 1: Die Gattung Leptochilus SAUSSURE (in German)