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''Ammophila'' is the
They sometimes are referred to as "thread-waisted wasps", but the name is not definitive, because many other members of the Sphecidae are thread-waisted, too, and referred to as such. Sometimes Ammophiline wasps are referred to as "sand wasps"; this may be better because it is consistent with the name ''Ammophila'', which derives from the Greek for "sand lover", presumably because many species dig their nests in sand. However, as is frequent in dealing with common names, no definitive common name for the Ammophilinae exists; Entomology, entomologists usually confine themselves to the technical names for convenience and clarity.
type genus
In biological taxonomy, the type genus is the genus which defines a biological family and the root of the family name.
Zoological nomenclature
According to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, "The name-bearing type of a nominal ...
of the subfamily Ammophilinae of the hunting wasp family Sphecidae. ''Ammophila'' is a large and cosmopolitan genus, with over 200 species, mostly occurring in the warmer regions of all continents apart from Antarctica.
Vernacular names
They sometimes are referred to as "thread-waisted wasps", but the name is not definitive, because many other members of the Sphecidae are thread-waisted, too, and referred to as such. Sometimes Ammophiline wasps are referred to as "sand wasps"; this may be better because it is consistent with the name ''Ammophila'', which derives from the Greek for "sand lover", presumably because many species dig their nests in sand. However, as is frequent in dealing with common names, no definitive common name for the Ammophilinae exists; Entomology, entomologists usually confine themselves to the technical names for convenience and clarity.
Morphology and habits
As is frequent in large genera, considerable variation occurs in their habits and appearance, but predominantly they are medium-sized wasps of strikingly slender build, with antennae about as long as the head plus thorax. The jaws are not large, but are strong and apart from feeding and digging, often are used for unexpected functions such as holding a pebble with which the wasp hammers down soil to seal a nest,Peckham, George W, Peckham, Elizabeth G.; Wasps, Social and Solitary, Pub. Constable 1905 or to grip the stem of a plant at night, holding its body at right-angles to the stem, its legs folded and all the weight taken up by the mandibles. This habit is not unique to the Ammophilinae — some bees, such as ''Amegilla'', also overnight in that way, and Jean Henri Fabre, Fabre documented some others.Fabre, Jean-Henri; The wonders of instinct; Pub: Century, New York 1918
Nesting
Nesting is generally by digging an unbranched tunnel in sandy soil, but provisioning can be Progressive provisioning, progressive, the mother bringing prey as the larva requires it, or mass provisioning, where each nest is provided with a single large prey item, or as many small prey items as should be required. Prey selection depends on the species available but mostly moth and sawfly caterpillars are chosen.Species
The genus ''Ammophila'' was created by the English parson-naturalist William Kirby (entomologist), William Kirby in 1798. It contains 243 extant species: *''Ammophila aberti'' Haldeman, 1852 *''Ammophila abnormis'' Dollfuss, 2013 *''Ammophila acuta'' (Fernald, 1934) *''Ammophila adelpha'' Kohl, 1901 *''Ammophila aellos'' Menke, 1966 *''Ammophila afghanica'' Balthasar, 1957 *''Ammophila africana'' Dollfuss, 2015 *''Ammophila albotomentosa'' Morice, 1900 *''Ammophila altigena'' Gussakovskij, 1930 *''Ammophila antenniferruginea'' Yan and Q. Li, 2010 *''Ammophila antoninae'' Danilov, 2018 *''Ammophila antropovi'' Dollfuss, 2013 *''Ammophila aphrodite'' Menke, 1964 *''Ammophila apicalis'' Guérin-Méneville, 1835 *''Ammophila arabica'' W.F. Kirby, 1900 *''Ammophila ardens'' F. Smith, 1868 *''Ammophila areolata'' Walker, 1871 *''Ammophila argyrocephala'' Arnold, 1951 *''Ammophila arnoldi'' Dollfuss, 2015 *''Ammophila arvensis'' Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau, 1845 *''Ammophila asiatica'' Tsuneki, 1971 *''Ammophila assimilis'' Kohl, 1901 *''Ammophila atripes'' F. Smith, 1852 *''Ammophila aucella'' Menke, 1966 *''Ammophila aurifera'' R. Turner, 1908 *''Ammophila azteca'' Cameron, 1888 *''Ammophila barbara'' (Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau, 1845) *''Ammophila barbarorum'' Arnold, 1951 *''Ammophila barkalovi'' Danilov, 2015 *''Ammophila beaumonti'' Dollfuss, 2013 *''Ammophila bechuana'' (R. Turner, 1929) *''Ammophila bella'' Menke, 1966 *''Ammophila bellula'' Menke, 1964 *''Ammophila beniniensis'' (Palisot de Beauvois, 1806) *''Ammophila bispinosa'' Dollfuss, 2015 *''Ammophila boharti'' Menke, 1964 *''Ammophila borealis'' Q. Li and C. Yang, 1990 *''Ammophila braunsi'' (R. Turner, 1919) *''Ammophila breviceps'' F. Smith, 1856 *''Ammophila brevipennis'' Bingham, 1897 *''Ammophila californica'' Menke, 1964 *''Ammophila calva'' (Arnold, 1920) *''Ammophila campestris'' Latreille, 1809 *''Ammophila caprella'' Arnold, 1951 *''Ammophila cellularis'' Gussakovskij, 1930 *''Ammophila centralis'' Cameron, 1888 *''Ammophila centroafricana'' Dollfuss, 2015 *''Ammophila clavus'' (Fabricius, 1775) *''Ammophila cleopatra'' Menke, 1964 *''Ammophila clypeola'' Q. Li and C. Yang, 1990 *''Ammophila clypeolineata'' Dollfuss, 2015 *''Ammophila coachella'' Menke, 1966 *''Ammophila conditor'' F. Smith, 1856 *''Ammophila confusa'' A. Costa, 1864 *''Ammophila conifera'' (Arnold, 1920) *''Ammophila cora'' Cameron, 1888 *''Ammophila coronata'' A. Costa, 1864 *''Ammophila crassifemoralis'' (R. Turner, 1919) *''Ammophila cybele'' Menke, 1970 *''Ammophila dantoni'' Roth in Nadig, 1933 *''Ammophila dejecta'' Cameron, 1888 *''Ammophila dentigera'' Gussakovskij, 1928 *''Ammophila deserticola'' Tsuneki, 1971 *''Ammophila djaouak'' de Beaumont, 1956 *''Ammophila dolichocephala'' Cameron, 1910 *''Ammophila dolichodera'' Kohl, 1884 *''Ammophila dubia'' Kohl, 1901 *''Ammophila duhokensis'' Augul, Abdoul-Rassoul, and Kaddou, 2013 *''Ammophila dysmica'' Menke, 1966 *''Ammophila electa'' Kohl, 1901 *''Ammophila elongata'' Fischer de Waldheim, 1843 *''Ammophila erminea'' Kohl, 1901 *''Ammophila evansi'' Menke, 1964 *''Ammophila exsecta'' Kohl, 1906 *''Ammophila extremitata'' Cresson, 1865 *''Ammophila eyrensis'' R. Turner, 1908 *''Ammophila femurrubra'' W. Fox, 1894 *''Ammophila fernaldi'' (Murray, 1938) *''Ammophila ferruginosa'' Cresson, 1865 *''Ammophila filata'' Walker, 1871 *''Ammophila fischeri'' Dollfuss, 2015 *''Ammophila formicoides'' Menke, 1964 *''Ammophila formosensis'' Tsuneki, 1971 *''Ammophila ganquana'' Yang and Li, 1989 *''Ammophila gaumeri'' Cameron, 1888 *''Ammophila globifrontalis'' Q. Li and Ch. Yang, 1995 *''Ammophila globiverticalis'' Ch. Wang and L. Ma, 2018 *''Ammophila gracilis'' Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau, 1845 *''Ammophila gracillima'' Taschenberg, 1869 *''Ammophila guichardi'' de Beaumont, 1956 *''Ammophila gusenleitneri'' Dollfuss, 2013 *''Ammophila gussakovskii'' Dollfuss, 2013 *''Ammophila haimatosoma'' Kohl, 1884 *''Ammophila haladai'' Dollfuss, 2013 *''Ammophila hallelujah'' Menke, 2020 *''Ammophila harti'' (Fernald, 1931) *''Ammophila hemilauta'' Kohl, 1906 *''Ammophila hermosa'' Menke, 1966 *''Ammophila heteroclypeola'' Li and Xue, 1998 *''Ammophila hevans'' Menke, 2004 *''Ammophila heydeni'' Dahlbom, 1845 *''Ammophila holosericea'' (Fabricius, 1793) *''Ammophila honorei'' Alfieri, 1946 *''Ammophila horni'' von Schulthess, 1927 *''Ammophila hungarica'' Mocsáry, 1883 *''Ammophila hurdi'' Menke, 1964 *''Ammophila iliensis'' Kazenas, 2001 *''Ammophila imitator'' Menke, 1966 *''Ammophila induta'' Kohl, 1901 *''Ammophila infesta'' F. Smith, 1873 *''Ammophila insignis'' F. Smith, 1856 *''Ammophila insolata'' F. Smith, 1858 *''Ammophila instabilis'' F. Smith, 1856 *''Ammophila juncea'' Cresson, 1865 *''Ammophila kalaharica'' (Arnold, 1935) *''Ammophila karenae'' Menke, 1964 *''Ammophila kennedyi'' (Murray, 1938) *''Ammophila kenyensis'' Dollfuss, 2015 *''Ammophila kondarensis'' Danilov, 2018 *''Ammophila kowalczyki'' Olszewski, 2020 *''Ammophila laeviceps'' F. Smith, 1873 *''Ammophila laevicollis'' Ed. André, 1886 *''Ammophila laevigata'' F. Smith, 1856 *''Ammophila laminituberalis'' Ch. Wang and Ma, 2018 *''Ammophila lampei'' Strand, 1910 *''Ammophila lativalvis'' Gussakovskij, 1928 *''Ammophila leclercqi'' Menke, 1964 *''Ammophila leoparda'' (Fernald, 1934) *''Ammophila linda'' Menke, 2020 *''Ammophila longiclypeata'' Dollfuss, 2015 *''Ammophila macra'' Cresson, 1865 *''Ammophila malickyi'' Dollfuss, 2015 *''Ammophila marshi'' Menke, 1964 *''Ammophila mcclayi'' Menke, 1964 *''Ammophila mediata'' Cresson, 1865 *''Ammophila menghaiana'' Q. Li and C. Yang, 1989 *''Ammophila menkei'' Dollfuss, 2013 *''Ammophila meridionalis'' Kazenas, 1980 *''Ammophila mescalero'' Menke, 1966 *''Ammophila mexica'' Menke, 2020 *''Ammophila mimica'' Menke, 1966 *''Ammophila mitlaensis'' Alfieri, 1961 *''Ammophila modesta'' Mocsáry, 1883 *''Ammophila moenkopi'' Menke, 1967 *''Ammophila monachi'' Menke, 1966 *''Ammophila mongolensis'' Tsuneki, 1971 *''Ammophila murrayi'' Menke, 1964 *''Ammophila namibiensis'' Dollfuss, 2015 *''Ammophila nancy'' Menke, 2007 *''Ammophila nasalis'' Provancher, 1895 *''Ammophila nasuta'' Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau, 1845 *''Ammophila nearctica'' Kohl, 1889 *''Ammophila nefertiti'' Menke, 1964 *''Ammophila nemkovi'' Danilov, 2018 *''Ammophila nigri'' Dollfuss, 2015 *''Ammophila nigricans'' Dahlbom, 1843 *''Ammophila nigrifrons'' Dollfuss, 2015 *''Ammophila nigrina'' F. Morawitz, 1889 *''Ammophila nitida'' Fischer de Waldheim, 1834 *''Ammophila novita'' (Fernald, 1934) *''Ammophila obliquestriolae'' Yang and Li, 1989 *''Ammophila occipitalis'' F. Morawitz, 1890 *''Ammophila ohli'' Dollfuss, 2013 *''Ammophila pachythoracalis'' Yang and Li, 1989 *''Ammophila pakistana'' Dollfuss, 2013 *''Ammophila parapolita'' (Fernald, 1934) *''Ammophila parapunctaticeps'' Dollfuss, 2015 *''Ammophila parkeri'' Menke, 1964 *''Ammophila peckhami'' (Fernald, 1934) *''Ammophila peringueyi'' (Arnold, 1928) *''Ammophila persica'' Dollfuss, 2013 *''Ammophila pevtsovi'' Danilov, 2015 *''Ammophila picipes'' Cameron, 1888 *''Ammophila pictipennis'' Walsh, 1869 *''Ammophila pilimarginata'' Cameron, 1912 *''Ammophila placida'' F. Smith, 1856 *''Ammophila platensis'' Brèthes, 1909 *''Ammophila poecilocnemis'' Morice, 1900 *''Ammophila polita'' Cresson, 1865 *''Ammophila procera'' Dahlbom, 1843 *''Ammophila producticollis'' Morice, 1900 *''Ammophila proxima'' (F. Smith, 1856) *''Ammophila pruinosa'' Cresson, 1865 *''Ammophila pseudodolichodera'' Dollfuss, 2015 *''Ammophila pseudoheydeni'' Li and He, 2000 *''Ammophila pseudokalaharica'' Dollfuss, 2015 *''Ammophila pseudonasuta'' Bytinski-Salz in de Beaumont and Bytinski-Salz, 1955 *''Ammophila pubescens'' Curtis, 1836 *''Ammophila pulawskii'' Tsuneki, 1971 *''Ammophila punctata'' F. Smith, 1856 *''Ammophila punctaticeps'' (Arnold, 1920) *''Ammophila punti'' Guichard, 1988 *''Ammophila quadraticollis'' A. Costa, 1893 *''Ammophila rauschi'' Dollfuss, 2013 *''Ammophila regina'' Menke, 1964 *''Ammophila ressli'' Dollfuss, 2015 *''Ammophila roborovskyi'' Kohl, 1906 *''Ammophila rubigegen'' Q. Li and C. Yang, 1990 *''Ammophila rubiginosa'' Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau, 1845 *''Ammophila rubripes'' Spinola, 1839 *''Ammophila ruficosta'' Spinola, 1851 *''Ammophila rufipes'' Guérin-Méneville, 1831 *''Ammophila sabulosa'' (Linnaeus, 1758) *''Ammophila saengeri'' Dollfuss, 2015 *''Ammophila sarekandana'' Balthasar, 1957 *''Ammophila sareptana'' Kohl, 1884 *''Ammophila saussurei'' (Robert du Buysson, du Buysson, 1897) *''Ammophila schalleri'' Dollfuss, 2015 *''Ammophila schmideggeri'' Dollfuss, 2013 *''Ammophila separanda'' F. Morawitz, 1891 *''Ammophila sickmanni'' Kohl, 1901 *''Ammophila sinensis'' Sickmann, 1894 *''Ammophila smithii'' F. Smith, 1856 *''Ammophila snizeki'' Dollfuss, 2015 *''Ammophila stangei'' Menke, 1964 *''Ammophila strenua'' Cresson, 1865 *''Ammophila striata'' Mocsáry, 1878 *''Ammophila strumosa'' Kohl, 1906 *''Ammophila subassimilis'' Strand, 1913 *''Ammophila tekkensis'' Gussakovskij, 1930 *''Ammophila terminata'' F. Smith, 1856 *''Ammophila theryi'' (Gribodo, 1894) *''Ammophila touareg'' Ed. André, 1886 *''Ammophila tsunekii'' Menke in Bohart and Menke, 1976 *''Ammophila tuberculiscutis'' Turner, 1919 *''Ammophila turneri'' Dollfuss, 2015 *''Ammophila tyrannica'' Cameron, 1890 *''Ammophila unita'' Menke, 1966 *''Ammophila untumoris'' Yang and Li, 1989 *''Ammophila urnaria'' Dahlbom, 1843 *''Ammophila vagabunda'' F. Smith, 1856 *''Ammophila varipes'' Cresson, 1865 *''Ammophila vetuberosa'' Q. Li and J. Yang, 1994 *''Ammophila vulcania'' Robert du Buysson, du Buysson, 1897 *''Ammophila wahlbergi'' Dahlbom, 1845 *''Ammophila wrightii'' (Cresson, 1868) *''Ammophila xinjiangana'' Q. Li and C. Yang, 1989 *''Ammophila yaroslavi'' Danilov, 2018 *''Ammophila zambiensis'' Dollfuss, 2015 *''Ammophila zanthoptera'' Cameron, 1888 *''Ammophila zapoteca'' Menke, 2020 *''Ammophila zetteli'' Dollfuss, 2015 *''Ammophila zimmermannae'' Dollfuss, 2013References
External links
{{Taxonbar, from=Q175585 Biological pest control wasps Sphecidae Articles containing video clips Taxa named by William Kirby (entomologist) Apoidea genera