Mexican Tarantula-hawk Wasp
Pepsis mexicana
Classification
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Hexapoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Hymenoptera
- Superfamily: Pompiloidea
- Family: Pompilidae
- Subfamily: Pepsinae
- Tribe: Pepsini
- Genus: Pepsis
- Species: mexicana
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Pepsis mexicana: //ˈpɛpsɪs ˌmɛksɪˈkɑːnə//
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Summary
Pepsis mexicana is a species of spider wasp from the genus Pepsis, known for its size and role in hunting tarantulas. It is part of the family Pompilidae and is restricted to the Americas.
Physical Characteristics
Body length 16-34 mm (female), 13-21 mm (male).
Distribution
Restricted to the Americas.
Similar Taxa
Misconceptions
Often called tarantula hawks due to their hunting of tarantulas, which may lead to misconceptions about their sting potency.
Tags
- Pepsis mexicana
- Mexican Tarantula-hawk Wasp
- spider wasp
- Pompilidae
- Hymenoptera