Aporinellus completus

Members of Aporinellus are small spider wasps, generally 5-12 mm in length, with slender bodies and relatively short antennae. Species-level identification within the genus requires examination of male genitalia and wing venation patterns. A. completus can be distinguished from congeners by subtle differences in clypeal structure and propodeal sculpture, though these characters require specialist knowledge and reference to the original type material.

Known from the western United States based on type locality and limited collection records. The precise range is poorly documented due to infrequent collection and identification challenges.

As with other Pompilidae, the life cycle involves a parasitoid relationship with spiders. Females hunt spiders, sting them to induce paralysis, and deposit an egg on the immobilized host. The larva consumes the spider while it remains alive, eventually pupating within the spider's burrow or a constructed cell.

Functions as a parasitoid of spiders, contributing to population regulation of spider communities. The specific spider hosts for A. completus have not been documented.

• Aporinellus taeniatusSimilar size range and western North American distribution; distinguished by differences in wing banding patterns and male genitalia structure
• Other small Pompilidae genera (e.g., Arachnospila, Ageniella)Overlap in general morphology and size; Aporinellus species have distinctive clypeal shape with a median tubercle or projection not found in these related genera

• BugGuide
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• Catalogue of Life