Sceliphron

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sceliphron

Sceliphron curvatum

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Superfamily:	Apoidea
Family:	Sphecidae
Subfamily:	Sceliphrinae
Genus:	Sceliphron

Diversity

About 30 species

Sceliphron is a genus of Hymenoptera of the Sphecidae family, commonly referred to as mud daubers. They are solitary and build nests made of mud. They provision these nests with spiders, such as crab spiders, Orb-weaver spiders and jumping spiders in particular, as food for the developing larvae. Each mud cell contains one egg and is provided with several prey items. Females of some species lay a modest average of 15 eggs over their whole lifespan[1].

As is the case with many insect genera, there are many tropical species. Some temperate species include the black and yellow mud dauber (Sceliphron caementarium) and Sceliphron curvatum.

Like other solitary wasps, Sceliphron species are not aggressive and do not sting unless mishandled. They are sometimes regarded as beneficial due to their control of spider populations, though the spiders themselves may be beneficial in controlling pest insects. Species such as Sceliphron curvatum are invasive in some parts of Europe, where they have been observed to rapidly increase their range in recent years[2].

[edit] Sceliphron species

Sceliphron Klug 1801

Sceliphron spirifex Linnaeus 1758 (Sphex); Africa, southern Europe

Sceliphron asiaticum Linnaeus 1758 (Sphex); Neotropics

Type locality In Indiis was interpreted as India; syn. S. figulum

Sceliphron caementarium Drury 1773 (Sphex)

North America, established in Europe and Pacific islands by the 1970's

Sceliphron jamaicense Fabr. 1775; Mexico, Caribbean islands

Sceliphron madraspatanum Fabr. 1781; Mediterranean

Sceliphron (m.) tubifex Latreille 1809; Mediterranean

Sceliphron destillatorium Illiger 1807; southern Palaearctic

Sceliphron assimile Dahlbom 1843 (Pelopoeus); Texas, Mexico and Caribbean islands

Sceliphron fistularium Dahlbom 1843; Neotropics

Sceliphron stularium Dahlbom

Sceliphron javanum Lepeletier 1845

Sceliphron coromandelicum Lepeletier 1845

Sceliphron chilensis Spinola 1851

Sceliphron laetum Smith 1856; Australia

Sceliphron formosum Smith 1856; Australia

Sceliphron deforme Smith 1856; Asia, reported from Europe in 2004

Sceliphron benignum Smith 1859

Sceliphron curvatum Smith 1870; Asia, Europe since 1970’s

Sceliphron quartinae Gribodo 1884

Sceliphron imflexum Sickmann 1894

Sceliphron nalandicum Strand 1915

Sceliphron argentifrons Cresson 1916

Sceliphron caemon

Sceliphron bugabense Dalla Torre 1897

Sceliphron cyclocephalum Dalla Torre 1897

Sceliphron intermedium Dalla Torre 1897

Sceliphron rufiventre Dalla Torre 1897

Sceliphron abdominale Dalla Torre 1897

Sceliphron soror Dalla Torre 1897

Sceliphron caucasicum Dalla Torre 1897

[edit] External references

[edit] References

Observations on the biology of Sceliphron spirifex (Linnaeus, 1758) in Romagna, Pezzi G.
Further evidence of the Asian mud-daubing wasps in Europe, Ćetković A. et al, Entomological Science, September 2004