Ceropales maculata fraterna

Smith, 1855

Ceropales maculata fraterna is a of spider wasp in the Pompilidae. It belongs to a known for kleptoparasitic , where females steal prey from other spider wasps rather than hunting spiders directly. The subspecies was described by Smith in 1855 and is recorded from parts of Europe including Belgium, Denmark, and Norway. As a member of the spider wasp family, it shares the characteristic long legs and slender body typical of Pompilidae.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Ceropales maculata fraterna: /sɛ.roʊˈpeɪ.liz ˌmæk.jʊˈleɪ.tə frəˈtɜr.nə/

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

Identification

Ceropales can be distinguished from the ichneumon Ceratogastra ornata, which they superficially resemble, by antennal structure: Ceropales has fewer, longer antennal segments compared to the many short segments of ichneumon wasps. Wing venation also differs, with ichneumon wasps showing a distinctive 'horse ' near the middle of the front wing. Ceropales species are spider wasps (Pompilidae) and typically have the long-legged, slender build characteristic of that .

Distribution

Recorded from Belgium (including Flemish and Walloon regions), Denmark, and Norway.

Behavior

Members of the Ceropales are kleptoparasites: females intercept prey captured by other spider wasps and lay their own on the paralyzed spider, rather than hunting spiders directly.

Similar Taxa

  • Ceratogastra ornataSuperficially similar coloration and pattern; distinguished by antennal segment count and wing venation

Sources and further reading