Ancistrocerus spilogaster

Cameron, 1905

Ancistrocerus spilogaster is a solitary in the Eumeninae, described by Cameron in 1905. As with other members of the Ancistrocerus, it exhibits the diagnostic transverse on the first abdominal . The is part of a diverse genus of potter and mason wasps that construct nests using mud and provision with paralyzed for their developing . Specific biological details for A. spilogaster remain poorly documented in published sources.

Ancistrocerus spilogaster by (c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ken-ichi Ueda. Used under a CC-BY license.Ancistrocerus spilogaster by the Smithsonian. Used under a CC0 license.Ancistrocerus spilogaster by the Smithsonian. Used under a CC0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Ancistrocerus spilogaster: /ænˌsɪstroʊˈsɛrəs ˌspaɪloʊˈɡæstər/

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Identification

Members of the Ancistrocerus can be distinguished from other eumenine genera by the prominent transverse (ridge) on the base of the first abdominal (T1), creating an abrupt angle that the rear of the . Other genera typically show a more gradual abdominal slope toward the thorax. Without specimen examination or -level diagnostic resources, distinguishing A. spilogaster from is not possible from the provided sources.

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Similar Taxa

  • Ancistrocerus unifasciatusShares the diagnostic transverse on T1 and similar overall , but differs in abdominal color pattern—A. unifasciatus typically shows a single on the versus the pattern implied by the specific epithet 'spilogaster' (spotted belly).
  • Ancistrocerus campestrisSimilar -level characters including the T1 ; A. campestris has hind margins on the first three abdominal and specific associations with leaf-tier , which may differ from A. spilogaster.
  • Ancistrocerus waldeniiCongeneric with similar nesting biology using mud , but A. waldenii constructs free-form mud nests attached to hard surfaces and shows distinct or abdominal banding patterns.

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Sources and further reading