Aculeate

Definition

A member of the infraorder Aculeata within the suborder Apocrita (Hymenoptera), defined by the evolutionary modification of the ovipositor into a stinger—a cuticular structure that transmits venom for prey capture, defense, or intraspecific aggression. The eggs exit near the sting base and do not pass through it. The group encompasses ants (Formicidae), bees (Anthophila), and stinging wasps (including Vespidae, Pompilidae, and others), though many lineages have secondarily lost the sting or retain a functional ovipositor for parasitism.

Etymology

From Latin aculeatus, 'sting-bearing' or 'prickly', referring to the modified ovipositor.

Example

Honey bees (Apis mellifera) and yellowjackets (Vespula spp.) are familiar aculeates that use their barbed or smooth stingers, respectively, for colony defense; in contrast, many parasitic aculeates such as certain Chrysididae have lost the sting entirely.

Synonyms

• Aculeata

Related Terms

• Apocrita
• Hymenoptera
• ovipositor
• sting
• Formicidae
• Vespidae
• Anthophila
• eusocial
• venom
• Parasitica

Usage Notes

Used both as a noun ('the aculeates') and an adjective ('aculeate wasps'). Not all aculeates can sting: some retain a functional ovipositor for host parasitism, and others have secondarily lost both structures. Contrast with Parasitica (historically used for non-stinging Apocrita, now recognized as paraphyletic). The term specifically refers to the clade, not merely any stinging insect.