Mammoth-wasp
Guides
Colpa octomaculata hermione
Colpa octomaculata hermione is a subspecies of scoliid wasp, a group commonly known as mammoth wasps. The parent species Colpa octomaculata is native to North America. Scoliid wasps are large-bodied parasitoids whose larvae develop on scarabaeid beetle grubs. Recent phylogenetic research indicates the genus Colpa is sister to the tribe Scoliini, which renders the tribe Campsomerini non-monophyletic. This subspecies represents part of a taxonomic group that has historically lacked modern systematic treatment.
Colpa octomaculata octomaculata
Colpa octomaculata octomaculata is a subspecies of mammoth wasp in the family Scoliidae. Based on phylogenetic studies of the genus Colpa, this subspecies belongs to a lineage that is sister to the Scoliini tribe, rendering the traditional Campsomerini tribe non-monophyletic. The genus Colpa as a whole has been found to be non-monophyletic in molecular analyses, indicating that taxonomic revision is needed. This subspecies is part of a group of large-bodied parasitoid wasps whose larvae develop as parasitoids of scarabaeid beetle grubs.
Colpa octomaculata texensis
Colpa octomaculata texensis is a subspecies of mammoth wasp in the family Scoliidae, first described by Saussure in 1858. It belongs to a group of large-bodied parasitoid wasps whose larvae develop on scarabaeid beetle grubs. Recent phylogenetic research using ultraconserved element (UCE) data has clarified the evolutionary position of the genus Colpa, finding it to be sister to the tribe Scoliini and rendering the traditional tribe Campsomerini non-monophyletic. This subspecies represents part of a taxonomic complex that has historically been poorly resolved due to limited systematic study.
Dielis tejensis
Dielis tejensis is a recently described scoliid wasp endemic to Texas, first known from male specimens and later from mtDNA-verified females. The species exhibits strong sexual dimorphism in body structure and color pattern, with females previously misidentified as Dielis plumipes fossulana. It is notable as the first documented case of partial seasonal polyphenism in Scoliidae, correlated with a multi-generational life cycle and potential aestivation of female immature stages.
Dielis trifasciata nassauensis
Dielis trifasciata nassauensis is a subspecies of scoliid wasp in the family Scoliidae. Scoliid wasps are large-bodied parasitoid wasps whose larvae develop as parasitoids of scarab beetle grubs. The genus Dielis has been inferred to be non-monophyletic in phylogenetic studies using ultraconserved element data. This subspecies is part of a group whose taxonomy has historically been unstable and is currently under revision based on modern systematic approaches.
Scoliini
Scoliini is a cosmopolitan tribe within the family Scoliidae, a group of large-bodied parasitoid wasps commonly known as mammoth wasps or scoliid wasps. The tribe includes genera such as Scolia, Megascolia, Triscolia, and Microscolia. Recent phylogenetic studies indicate that Scoliini is closely related to the genus Colpa, with which it forms a clade sister to the remaining Campsomerini. Many genera within Scoliini, including Megascolia and Scolia, have been inferred to be non-monophyletic based on molecular data.