''Leucospis dorsigera'' is a species of wasp belonging to the family
Leucospidae.
Distribution and habitat
This widely distributed species occurs from Eastern
Russia through Europe (
Austria,
Croatia,
Czech Republic,
France,
Germany,
Hungary,
Italy,
Republic of Moldova,
North Macedonia,
Poland,
Romania,
Slovakia,
Slovenia,
Spain,
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
) to
Near East
The ''Near East''; he, המזרח הקרוב; arc, ܕܢܚܐ ܩܪܒ; fa, خاور نزدیک, Xāvar-e nazdik; tr, Yakın Doğu is a geographical term which roughly encompasses a transcontinental region in Western Asia, that was once the hist ...
and
North Africa.
[Shahram Hesami, Mohammad Ali Akrami, and Hannes Bau]
Leucospis dorsigera Fabricius (Hymenoptera, Leucospidae) as a Hyperparasitoid of Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) through Xoridinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) in Iran
/ref>[
]
Description
''Leucospis dorsigera'' can reach a length of .[J.K. Lindse]
/ref> This rather variable vespid-like specie mimics a stinging wasp. Body is quite robust, with yellow stripes on a black ground color. The fore wings are folded longitudinally. The hind femora are swollen and toothed along the lower margin, with a large median and short lateral teeth. The female shows a relatively short gaster and the ovipositor
The ovipositor is a tube-like organ used by some animals, especially insects, for the laying of eggs. In insects, an ovipositor consists of a maximum of three pairs of appendages. The details and morphology of the ovipositor vary, but typical ...
is turned up, lies along the dorsal side of the metasoma and just reaches to the base of the gaster. In the males the fusion of many of the metasomal segments to form a capsule-like "carapace
A carapace is a Dorsum (biology), dorsal (upper) section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods, such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates, such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tor ...
".[
]
Biology
Adults can be found from May to July.[ They mainly feed on nectar and pollen of '']Angelica sylvestris
''Angelica sylvestris'' or wild angelica is a species of flowering plant, native to Europe and central Asia. An annual or short-lived perennial growing to a maximum of , it has erect purplish stems and rounded umbels of minuscule white or pale p ...
'', '' Heracleum sphondylium'' and ''Scorzoneroides autumnalis
''Scorzoneroides autumnalis'', commonly called autumn hawkbit, is a perennial plant species, widespread in its native range in Eurasia (from Europe east to western Siberia), and introduced in North America.
The plant is sometimes called fall d ...
''.[
This species is an ]ectoparasitoid
In evolutionary ecology, a parasitoid is an organism that lives in close association with its host at the host's expense, eventually resulting in the death of the host. Parasitoidism is one of six major evolutionary strategies within parasi ...
of aculeate wasps or bee
Bees are winged insects closely related to wasps and ants, known for their roles in pollination and, in the case of the best-known bee species, the western honey bee, for producing honey. Bees are a monophyly, monophyletic lineage within the ...
s. Females penetrate with the long ovipositor
The ovipositor is a tube-like organ used by some animals, especially insects, for the laying of eggs. In insects, an ovipositor consists of a maximum of three pairs of appendages. The details and morphology of the ovipositor vary, but typical ...
into the bark of trees where they have located the larvae of these insects. Then they lay the eggs in the body of these larvae, that will be eaten by the newly-born wasps.
Females especially parasitize larvae belonging to the family Megachilidae, genera ''Anthidiellum
''Anthidiellum'' is a genus of rotund resin bees in the family Megachilidae. There are more than 60 described species in ''Anthidiellum''.
Species
These 66 species belong to the genus ''Anthidiellum'':
* '' Anthidiellum absonulum'' (Cockerell ...
'', ''Anthidium
''Anthidium'' is a genus of bees often called carder or potter bees, who use conifer resin, plant hairs, mud, or a mix of them to build nests. They are in the family Megachilidae which is cosmopolitan in distribution and made up of species that ...
'', '' Hoplitis'' and ''Osmia
Mason bee is a name now commonly used for species of bees in the genus ''Osmia'', of the family Megachilidae. Mason bees are named for their habit of using mud or other "masonry" products in constructing their nests, which are made in naturally ...
''.[Pietro Zandigiacomo, Filippo Michele Buian and Angela Bravi]
Reperti di Leucospis dorsigera (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea, Leucospidae) nella Pianura veneta orientale
/ref> Larvae of ''Leucospis dorsigera'' also feed on larvae of ''Chelostoma florisomne
''Chelostoma florisomne'', the large scissor-bee, is a species of hymenopteran in the family Megachilidae.
Etymology
The Latin species name ''florisomne'' refers to the habit of some males to sleep inside the buttercup flowers.
Distribution and ...
'' and other larvae of Apidae (Megachilinae
Megachilinae is a subfamily of bees, the largest subfamily in the family Megachilidae,Pascarella, J. BMegachilinae.The Bees of Florida. Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida. and includes mason bees, leafcutter bees, and car ...
), Ichneumonidae ('' Xorides corcyrensis'', Xoridinae
Xoridinae are a worldwide subfamily of the parasitic wasp family Ichneumonidae.
Xoridinae are idiobiont ectoparasitoids of wood‑boring Coleoptera and Hymenoptera (Symphyta). Most parasitize larvae. There are four genera
Genus ( plural ...
) [ and Bostrychidae (]Coleoptera
Beetles are insects that form the order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Endopterygota. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 400,000 describ ...
).[
]
Bibliography
* Klug, F. (1818) European species of , Leucospis, ., JOURBOOK: Isis, Jena Vol.: 2(9) Pg: 1475
* Boucek, Z. (1974) A revision of the Leucospidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) of the world., JOURBOOK: Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology Vol.: Supplement 23 Pg: 241pp
* Dalla Torre, K.W. von (1898) Catalogus Hymenopterorum hucusque descriptorum systematicus et synonymicus. V. Chalcididae et, Pg: 598pp
* Walker, F. (1862) Characters of undescribed species of the genus , Leucospis, ., JOURBOOK: Journal of Entomology Vol.: 1 Pg: 16-23
* Westwood, J.O. (1834) On , Leucospis, , a genus of hymenopterous insects., JOURBOOK: Entomological Magazine VOLUME: 2(2) PAGES: 212-218
References
External links
*
*
Luciana Bartolini
Biolib
{{Taxonbar, from=Q13399917
Chalcidoidea
Insects described in 1775
Taxa named by Johan Christian Fabricius