Campsomerini

mammoth wasps

Campsomerini is a tribe within the (), currently classified under Scoliinae. Members are commonly known as mammoth . The tribe's higher-level has been unstable, having been treated historically as subfamily Campsomerinae before being demoted to tribal status. Recent phylogenetic studies using ultraconserved element (UCE) data support Campsomerini stricto (excluding Colpa and allies) as , with the Australasian Trisciloa as sister to remaining members.

Dielis by (c) B. Phalan, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by B. Phalan. Used under a CC-BY license.Hough Dielis plumipes (back) by IvanTortuga. Used under a Public domain license.Campsomeris quadrimaculata male (37743455934) by gailhampshire from Cradley, Malvern, U.K. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Campsomerini: //kam.soʊˈme.reɪˌnaɪ//

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

Identification

Campsomerini stricto is distinguished from Scoliini by the presence of two in the . Within Campsomerini, have been historically separated by submarginal number: Campsomerini proper with two submarginal cells versus Trielidini (now recognized as a separate lineage) with three submarginal cells. However, this character has proven unreliable for , as phylogenetic analyses show Colpa (with three submarginal cells) nests within or adjacent to Scoliini rather than Campsomerini. Definitive identification requires examination of , mesopleural structure, and male .

Images

Distribution

distribution. Documented from Indomalayan ecozone, Eastern Palearctic, Australasia, Neotropical region, and Nearctic region. Specific records include: Vietnam (provinces of Cao Bang, Hà Giang, Quang Bình, Yên Bái, Hanoi, Tuyên Quang, Lào Cai, Nghê An, Lang Son, Nam Dinh, Thai Binh, Vĩnh Phúc, Lâm Đong, Kon Tum), China (Guangdong, Jiangsu, Hainan), Indonesia (Bangka, Borneo, Java, Sangir, Sulawesi, Sumatra, West Kalimantan, East Java), India (Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Sikkim, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, West Bengal), Malaysia (Malacca, Perak), Myanmar (Tenasserim), Bangladesh (Sylhet), Bhutan, Singapore, New Guinea, Panama, and North America.

Host Associations

  • Scarabaeidae - of scarabaeid living in soil or leaf litter; specific records at tribe level not documented

Behavior

. No other behavioral traits documented at tribe level.

Ecological Role

As of scarabaeid , members likely contribute to regulation of in soil and leaf litter . Potential value as agents has been noted but not systematically developed for this tribe.

Human Relevance

Research interest in and due to taxonomic instability. Some members of have been studied as agents, though tribe-specific applications not documented.

Similar Taxa

  • ScoliiniSister tribe within Scoliinae; distinguished by characters, though phylogenetic analyses show Colpa and allies (formerly Campsomerini) group with Scoliini, rendering traditional wing venation distinctions problematic
  • TrielidiniHistorical name for group with three submarginal including Colpa and Guigliana; now recognized as separate lineage from core Campsomerini based on 2024 mitochondrial , though some authors use this name following ICZN guidelines

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Sources and further reading