The Epiponini (formerly known as Polybiini) are a large and diverse tribe of
social wasp
A wasp is any insect of the narrow-waisted suborder Apocrita of the order Hymenoptera which is neither a bee nor an ant; this excludes the broad-waisted sawflies (Symphyta), which look somewhat like wasps, but are in a separate suborder. Th ...
s inhabiting the
Neotropical
The Neotropical realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms constituting Earth's land surface. Physically, it includes the tropical terrestrial ecoregions of the Americas and the entire South American temperate zone.
Definition
In bioge ...
region, with some species' ranges extending into the
Nearctic
The Nearctic realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms constituting the Earth's land surface.
The Nearctic realm covers most of North America, including Greenland, Central Florida, and the highlands of Mexico. The parts of North America t ...
region.
Selected species
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Apoica pallens
The Central American paper wasp (''Apoica pallens'') is a nocturnality, nocturnal eusociality, eusocial wasp (family (biology), family Vespidae). It is famous for its swarm based emigration behavior, and is native to the lowlands of Central and ...
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Leipomeles dorsata''
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Parachartergus apicalis
''Parachartergus apicalis'' is a species of wasp in the Polistinae subfamily, found in the Neotropics. It was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1804. In Honduras, they are known as ', which translates into English as "white wings" ...
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Parachartergus colobopterus''
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Polybia sericea''
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Protopolybia exigua''
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Synoeca cyanea
''Synoeca cyanea'', commonly known as the marimbondo-tatu in Brazil, is a swarm-founding eusocial wasp. Native to Brazil and Argentina, ''S. cyanea'' is one of the largest and most aggressive species of social wasps and is feared in many rural ar ...
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Brachygastra mellifica
''Brachygastra mellifica'', commonly known as the Mexican honey wasp, is a neotropical social wasp. It can be found in both North and South America. ''B. mellifica'' is one of few wasp species that produces honey. It is also considered a delicac ...
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Vespidae
{{Vespidae-stub