Trypoxylon clavatum johannis

Richards, 1934

Trypoxylon clavatum johannis is a of spider-hunting in the Crabronidae. It belongs to the subgenus Trypargilum, which comprises medium-sized to large within the . Like other members of Trypoxylon, this wasp nests in pre-existing cavities and provisions its with paralyzed spiders. The subspecies was described by Richards in 1934 and is distributed in North America, with records from Ontario, Canada.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Trypoxylon clavatum johannis: /trɪˈpɒksɪlɒn ˈklævətəm joʊˈhænɪs/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

Separation from other Trypoxylon requires examination of actual specimens. The T. clavatum johannis is distinguished from the nominate subspecies T. c. clavatum by subtle morphological characters described in the original description. The is recognizable by the combination of: long with blunt tip, single submarginal in forewing, and .

Habitat

Nests in pre-existing cavities including hollow twigs, old borings in dead standing trees, vacated insect galls, and abandoned mud dauber nests. Specific preferences for this are not documented.

Distribution

North America; recorded from Ontario, Canada.

Diet

Spiders, primarily individuals. Prey selection likely includes jumping spiders, crab spiders, running spiders, lynx spiders, sac spiders, small wolf spiders, and orb-weaving spiders based on documented prey of the nominate .

Life Cycle

Solitary female progressively partitions natural tunnels into individual from back to front. Each cell is provisioned with 5–20 paralyzed spiders (range 3–36), with one laid per cell. Larva consumes the spider cache, spins a -specific cocoon composed of silk, saliva, and soil, then pupates. follows. Nest typically contains 1–5 cells.

Behavior

Females hunt spiders and paralyze them with venom. Males guard nest entrances during female absence, physically blocking and behaving aggressively toward enemies. Males do not sting. Males may assist by receiving prey from females, cleaning cavities, building partitions, and sealing nests with mud plugs.

Ecological Role

of spiders; control of various spider groups. Prey for parasitic insects that attack nests.

Human Relevance

Potential beneficiary of artificial nesting (trap nests with drilled holes in wood blocks). No documented negative impacts.

Similar Taxa

  • Trypoxylon clavatum clavatumNominate ; distinguished by subtle morphological characters requiring specimen examination.
  • Trypoxylon californicumSympatric of similar size and ; -level identification requires collection and examination of specimens.
  • Trypoxylon politumMuch larger that constructs free-standing mud nests (pipe organ nests) rather than using pre-existing cavities; black with white tibial markings.

More Details

Subgeneric placement

T. clavatum johannis is placed in subgenus Trypargilum, which contains medium-sized to large Trypoxylon , as opposed to subgenus Trypoxylon which contains small species.

Tags

Sources and further reading