Pachysomoides stupidus (Cresson)(Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)
Finesha Lee
Biology Major
University of Georgia, Athens
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Overview
Pachysomoides stupidus (Cresson) is a parasitic wasp in the subfamily Cryptinae. It was first described by Cresson in 1873. This New World species is a parasite of Polistes larvae. Specific hosts include P. annularis, P. canadensis, P. exclamans, and P. fuscatus (Burks, 1979). A female will land on a host nest and lay eggs within a cell containing an early-stage pupa, where up to 31 parasitoids may develop together. The larvae will feed externally defining this species as an ectoparasitoid (Pickering, 1980). This species is widespread in the southern United States east of Texas, as well as from Mexico to South America. It may also be found in Hawaii (Burks, 1979). Its ecological and economic importance are unknown.
Names
According to Hymenoptera in America North of Mexico, Pachysomoides stupidus was described by Cresson in 1873 (male). It has no common name, but has the following synnonyms:
- [Mesostenus] Mesostenus stupidus Cresson, 1873 (male)
- Pachysoma albopictum Szepligeti, 1916 (female)
- Polistiphaga zonata Cushman, 1929 (female)
Pachysomoides stupidus has been described in:
Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., Proc. 25: 162. [male].
Mus. Nat. Hungarici, Ann. 14: 290. [female].
U.S. Natl. Mus., Proc. 74 (16): 56. [female].
(Burks, 1979)
Identification
This section is under construction. There will be an interactive key available. Please pardon any inconviences.
Higher Taxa
Distribution
This species is widely distributed in North America. According to Hymenoptera in America North of Mexico, it occurs from North Carolina south to Florida, west to southern Illinois and Texas, in the West Indies and Mexico south to South America, and in Hawaii (Burks, 1979). A distribution geography map is under construction.
Natural History
Pachysomoides stupidus is a idiobiont parasitoid of the larval stages of social wasps of the Polistes genus. Hosts include Polistes annularis, P. canadensis, P. exclamans, and P. fuscatus fuscatus (Burks, 1979).) A female lands and lays her eggs on a host containing an early stage pupae, where up to 31 parasitoids develop together feeding externally, making this species an endoparasitoid. The female is generally the larger of the species (Pickering 1980) Because there is relatively little known about the biology of this particular species, please refer to Pachysomoides for more in-depth natural history based on the biology of this genus.
How to Encounter
This species can be found in the Great Smoky Mountains. Additionally, stupidus can be found from North Carolina south to Florida, west to southern Illinois and Texas, in the West Indies and Mexico south to South America, and in Hawaii..
Please refer to the The Catalog of Hymenoptera in America
North of Mexico for more information.
References
- Burks, B. D., Paul D. Hurd, Jr., Karl V. Krombein, and David P. Smith. (1979). Catalog of Hymenoptera in America North of Mexico. Vol. 1. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C.
- Pickering, John. 1980. Larval Competition and brood sex ratios in the gregarious parasitoid Pachysomoides stupidus. Macmillian Journals Limited.
Acknowledgements
Thanks in developing this page is given to the lab of Dr. John Pickering. A special thanks to Jessica Tanner for making the template to this page and Bryan McLucas for technical support. Thanks also goes to Ryan Bartlett for editing this page.