Crossocerus maculipennis

(F. Smith, 1856)

Crossocerus maculipennis is a of solitary digger wasp in the Crabronidae. The species belongs to a of predatory that provision their nests with paralyzed prey, primarily beetles. The specific epithet 'maculipennis' refers to spotted or marked wings. Based on related species in the genus, it likely exhibits nest-building in sandy or loose soils and specializes on particular prey groups.

Crossocerus maculipennis by (c) Dan MacNeal, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Dan MacNeal. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Crossocerus maculipennis: /krɔ.soˈke.rus ma.kʊ.lɪˈpɛn.ɪs/

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Distribution

North America, with records from Canada including Alberta.

More Details

Taxonomic notes

Crossocerus maculipennis was described by Frederick Smith in 1856. The Crossocerus is part of the tribe Crabronini within Crabroninae. in this genus are often challenging to distinguish without detailed examination of morphological characters.

Related species biology

While specific biological details for C. maculipennis are not documented in available sources, congeneric such as C. fumipennis and C. bicornis are known to be of particular groups. C. fumipennis primarily preys on Buprestidae (jewel beetles), while C. bicornis specializes on weevils (Curculionidae). This pattern suggests C. maculipennis may similarly exhibit prey specialization.