Prionyx parkeri

Bohart & Menke, 1963

Parker's Thread-waisted Wasp

Prionyx parkeri is a of thread-waisted wasp in the Sphecidae. It is one of seven Prionyx species found in the United States. The species is distinguished from close relatives by two pairs of long palps that are part of its mouthparts. Like other members of the , it is a solitary that hunts grasshoppers as prey for its larvae.

Prionyx parkeri female palpi1 by JerryFriedman. Used under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license.

Thread-waisted Wasp - Prionyx parkeri, Meadowood SRMA, Mason Neck, Virginia, July 7, 2017 (52188717390) by Judy Gallagher. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Prionyx species. ( possibly P. parkeri) (38299828452) by gailhampshire from Cradley, Malvern, U.K. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Prionyx parkeri: //ˈpɹaɪ.ə.nɪks ˈpɑːɹ.kə.ɹi//

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

Identification

Prionyx parkeri can be distinguished from the similar-looking Prionyx thomae and Prionyx canadensis by the presence of two pairs of long palps, which are part of its mouthparts. This feature is not present in the other two . All three species share a black and red coloration with silvery highlights, in contrast to the entirely black Prionyx atratus and Prionyx subatratus.

Images

Distribution

Middle America and North America.

Similar Taxa

Prionyx thomaeVery similar in appearance with black and red coloration and silvery highlights, but lacks the two pairs of long palps on the mouthparts that distinguish P. parkeri.
Prionyx canadensisSimilar black and red coloration, but lacks the distinctive long palps of P. parkeri and has a different geographic distribution.
Prionyx atratusEntirely black coloration distinguishes it from the black and red P. parkeri.
Prionyx subatratusEntirely black coloration distinguishes it from the black and red P. parkeri.