''Montezumia'' is a primarily
neotropical genus of eumenine wasps whose 48 species (Willink 1982) range from
Argentina to the southwestern
United States (Arizona). Most of the known species (38 of 52 species and subspecies; Willink 1982) are from South America. Unfortunately, the behaviour of Montezumia species has been described for only eight definitively identified species (ferruginea, dimidiata, cortesioides, vechti, pelagica, brethesi, platinia, and petiolata) (reviewed in Willink 1982).
The genus is specially interesting for illuminating the origins of group life and eusociality (
social behaviour characterized by a reproductive division of labor between egg-laying queens and sterile workers). ''Montezumia'' belongs to a vespid subfamily (
Eumeninae) of primarily solitary wasps which are closely related to the eusocial vespids of the subfamilies
Epiponinae and
Polistinae
References
* Willink, A. 1982. Revisión de los generos ''Montezumia'' Saussure and ''Monobia'' Saussure (Hymenoptera: Eumenidae). Bol. Acad. Nac. Cienc., Cordoba 55: 3–321.
Biological pest control wasps
Potter wasps
Hymenoptera genera
{{potter-wasp-stub