Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Canary islands Sphecidae

Posted by Isidro on 28-02-2008 16:11
#1

This one was flying oven the soil, looking maybe caterpillars, spiders or nesting holes. Puerto del Carmen, south of Lanzarote island. The habitat was open and dry land, with Launaea arborescens, Heliotropium europaeum, Nicotiana glauca, etc. The wasp sizes about 20-22 mm.

aycu18.webshots.com/image/44577/2003038079449013856_rs.jpg

Some ideas?
Thanks

Posted by Christian Schmid-Egger on 28-02-2008 18:17
#2

The only possiblity is Podalonia affinis, forma or ssp. concolor. It is the only all black Sphecidae of Canary Islands. It (better, its larva) feeds caterpillars of Lepidoptera.

The day after tomorrow, we also will go to Fuerteventure for a week, so probably I will find the same species.

Regards, Christian

Posted by Isidro on 28-02-2008 19:28
#3

Many, many thanks Christian! A specialist in Vespids, Scoliids and other hymenoptera-no-sphecidae, says me all the Sphecidae species reported on Lanzarote: one Sceliphron, one Ammophila and four Podalonia, P. affinis, P. mauritanica, P. tydei and another species that I don't remember. I descarted previously P. affinis by the colour
http://www.atlashymenoptera.net/pagetaxon.asp?tx_id=104
but now I can be sure thanks to you! Many, many thanks!

I't better considered a subspecies or a morph? I'm not sure abot how must I write the name...

Posted by Christian Schmid-Egger on 29-02-2008 10:15
#4

..best, you use Podalonia affinis concolor (it is the state of a subspecies). This is the officiell version, and all other ideas about the state are not published.

Regards, Christian

Posted by Isidro on 29-02-2008 18:54
#5

Thanks again Christian!