| Pison | |
|---|---|
 | |
| A wasp of the genus Pison gathering water for nest construction. | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Crabronidae |
| Tribe: | Trypoxylini |
| Genus: | Pison Spinola 1808 [1] |
| Species | |
See text | |
Pison is a cosmopolitan genus of wasps within the family Crabronidae. The genus comprises 145 described species, although many species, especially in South America remain undescribed. [2]
The genus is found throughout the tropical and warm temperate regions of the world, but does not extend into the more northerly temperate regions. Most species occur in the Southern Hemisphere, with a third of species occurring in Australia. [2] This distribution pattern has been thought to indicate that the genus was once much larger, and has declined in the face of competition with more competitive wasp genera, leaving the genus largely concentrated in geographically-isolated regions. [3]
The habit of many species of building nests in holes in wood, keyholes, and similar situations has led to a number of species being distributed widely by ships and aircraft. Several species, including P. argentatum and P. iridipenne are of uncertain native distribution, having been dispersed by humans in antiquity. [3] [2]
Pison wasps raise their young on a diet of living, but paralysed, spiders. Spiders are collected by adult females, paralysed by means of a sting, and an egg is laid on the spider or spiders before they are sealed into a chamber constructed by the female. The paralysed spiders do not decay, and upon hatching the wasp larva eats the spider, before pupating and emerging from the chamber as an adult. [3] [2] [4]
While many species construct large mud nests in sheltered situations such as caves or tree hollows, other species make use of natural cavities such as hollow plant stems, beetle burrows, or abandoned bird nests, while still others dig their own nesting tunnels. Typically, multiple spiders-and-egg cells will be placed adjacent to one another in a larger nesting structure. Each cell is sealed off from adjoining eggs with mud or dung pellets. This sealing off of the young from each other is probably done to prevent competition and ensure that each young obtains sufficient food. [3] [2]
At one time the genus Pison was divided into the subgenera Pison , Pisonoides , Krombeiniellum , and Entomopison . [5] These were later discarded in favor of species groups including (for the Americas): [5]
The following species are accepted as of 21 February 2018 [update] : [6]
The following are not officially described and have nomen nudum status: [6]
These species have been transferred from Pison to other genera: [6]
Wasps of the genus Sphex are cosmopolitan predators that sting and paralyze prey insects. Sphex is one of many genera in the old digger wasp family Sphecidae, though most apart from the Sphecinae have now been moved to the family Crabronidae. There are over 130 known Sphex species.
Larra, also known as mole cricket wasps or mole cricket hunters, is a genus of wasps that prey on various species of mole crickets. They have gained prominence as integrated pest management agents.
Chalybion is a genus of blue mud dauber wasps in the family Sphecidae. Chalybion species nest in a wide range of natural and artificial cavities such as holes in wood, walls, plant stems, etc., where they typically provision their brood cells with paralyzed spiders. They also reuse old nests of other wasps like Trypoxylon and Sceliphron.
Ammophila is the type genus of the subfamily Ammophilinae of the hunting wasp family Sphecidae. Ammophila is a large and cosmopolitan genus, with over 200 species, mostly occurring in the warmer regions of all continents apart from Antarctica.
Auplopus is a large genus of spider wasps belonging to the subfamily Pepsinae of the spider wasp family Pompilidae, distributed throughout the world except for Antarctica. Auplopus wasps have the gruesome habit of amputating the legs of their spider prey before transporting it to the nest.
Podalonia is a genus of parasitoidal wasps in the family Sphecidae.
Prionyx is a genus of wasps in the family Sphecidae. They are known to hunt and feed on grasshoppers.
Crabro is a genus of square-headed wasps belonging to the family Crabronidae. There are at least 80 described species in Crabro, found in the Nearctic and Palaearctic (Holarctic).
Spilomena is a genus of aphid wasps in the family Crabronidae. The 86 species are found worldwide being represented in the Palearctic, Nearctic, Afrotropical, Neotropical, Australasian, and Indomalayan realms.
Crabronina is a subtribe of square-headed wasps in the family Crabronidae. There are at least 1,300 described species in Crabronina.
Dolichurus is a genus of cockroach wasps in the family Ampulicidae; they are generally found on dead wood, leaf litter, or on tree trunks. There are at least 50 described species in Dolichurus.