Protopolybia chartergoides

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Protopolybia chartergoides
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Hymenoptera
Suborder:
Apocrita
Family:
Vespidae
Genus:
Protopolybia
Species:
P. chartergoides
Binomial name
Protopolybia chartergoides

Protopolybia chartergoides, also known as Pseudochartergus chartergoides, is a species of wasp within the genus Protopolybia. It is a social wasp found in southern Central America and northern South America. [1]

Contents

Taxonomy and phylogeny

The genus Protopolybia belongs to the wasp family Vespidae. Wasps belong to the order Hymenoptera, making them relatives of ants, bees, and sawflies. P. chartergoides is one of thirty species within Protopolybia. It has three identified subspecies: P. chartergoides boshelli, P. chartergoides cinctella, and P. chartergoides isthmensis. [2]

Description

P. chartergoides has two distinguishing characteristics—their nests have transparent envelopes made from oral secretion and females are docile, which contrasts with the aggressiveness seen in most social wasps. [3] [4] Nests of P. chartergoides have envelopes that consist predominantly of chitin that is secreted orally. [5] Social wasps often use oral secretions such as chitin or protein to glue plant material, repel rain, and contribute to a nest's mechanical strength. [3]

Distribution and habitat

Protopolybia chartergoides is distributed in northwest South America to southern Brazil and have also been spotted in some southern parts of southern Central America as well. [4] P. chartergoides is a relatively rare wasp species. [1]

Colony cycle

Studies in regard to the colony cycle of P. chartergoides are not extensive, but the species is known to have comparatively small colonies that reach to only a few hundred. [4] Generally for social wasps, a queen that was fertilized the previous year and who has survived the winter starts a new colony each spring. [6] The queen builds a small nest and raises a starter brood of female workers that then take over nest expansion, building cells into which the queen continues to lay eggs in. These social wasp colonies usually die off in the winter, and a newly fertilized queen that survives the cold of the winter restarts the process in spring. [6]

Division of labor

In social wasps, like P. chartergoides, the division of labor between castes (and the division of labor in workers dependent upon age) is critical for the maintenance of social organization. There is a clear difference between queens and workers. [7] The queen caste is characterized by behaviors of physical dominance and food solicitation. On the other hand, adult behavior in the worker caste included— trophallaxis, cell destruction, alarm, and foraging. [7] The worker caste can then be divided into two groups: intra-nest activities that younger workers tend to and extra-nest activities, such as foraging, that older workers take on. [7]

Caste differentiation in females

Caste of P. chartergoides females can be determined by examining the ovaries and the spermatheca for insemination. [4] Queens are inseminated females with developed ovaries, intermediates are unmated females with some development of the ovaries, and workers are unmated females with no development of the ovaries. Intermediate females are morphologically similar to worker females. [4] Caste differentiation is very similar in the species Polybia sericea .

Camouflage

It has been observed that Protopolybia chartergoides nests are transparent and the envelope is made of a salivary matrix restricts access to the cavity. The combs are brown and visible beyond the transparent envelope. [8]

Interaction with other species

Diet

Social wasps, such as P. chartergoides, are generally carnivores, preying mostly on insects, such as caterpillars and flies. [9] The wasps digest their victims' bodies into a paste that can be fed to their larvae. The larvae then produce nutritional syrup that the adults consume. [9]

Predators

Common insects that prey on wasps include praying mantises, dragonflies, centipedes, beetles and moths. In fact, large wasps will even prey on smaller wasps. [10] Spiders will also capture wasps in their webs and eat them. Predatory reptiles and amphibians, such as frogs, lizards, toads, and salamanders see the wasp as just another opportunistic meal and do not differentiate them from other insects, despite their feared sting. [10] Birds that regularly consume bugs will also eat wasps. Other creatures that eat wasps, particularly mammals, are more interested in the larvae rather than the adults. [10]

Defense

When a social wasp is in distress, it emits a pheromone that triggers nearby colony members into defensive mode, a greatly increased willingness and desire to sting. [6] Wasps can sting repeatedly unlike their close relative, the bee. Stingers, which are actually modified egg-laying organs, are only found in females. [6]

Agriculture

Despite common fears, wasps are actually beneficial to humans because wasps prey on many pest insects, either for food or as a host for its parasitic larvae. [6] Wasps are adroit at controlling pest populations, so much so that recently the agriculture industry has started to regularly use them to protect crops. [6]

Related Research Articles

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Dolichovespula maculata is a species of wasp in the genus Dolichovespula and a member of the eusocial, cosmopolitan family Vespidae. It is known by many colloquial names, primarily bald-faced hornet, but also including bald-faced aerial yellowjacket, bald-faced wasp, bald hornet, white-faced hornet, blackjacket, white-tailed hornet, spruce wasp, and bull wasp. Technically a species of yellowjacket wasp, it is not one of the true hornets, which are in the genus Vespa. Colonies contain 400 to 700 workers, the largest recorded colony size in its genus, Dolichovespula. It builds a characteristic large hanging paper nest up to 58 cm (23 in) in length. Workers aggressively defend their nest by repeatedly stinging invaders.

<i>Vespula vulgaris</i> Species of insect

Vespula vulgaris, known as the Common wasp, is a species found in regions that include the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, India, China, New Zealand and Australia. It is sometimes known in English as the European wasp, but the same name is used for the species Vespula germanica or German wasp. In 2010, the ostensible Vespula vulgaris wasps in North America were found to be a different species, Vespula alascensis.

<i>Polistes chinensis</i> Species of wasp

Polistes chinensis is a polistine vespid wasp in the cosmopolitan genus Polistes, and is commonly known as the Asian, Chinese or Japanese paper wasp. It is found in East Asia, in particular China and Japan. The subspecies P. chinensis antennalis is an invasive species in New Zealand, having arrived in 1979.

<i>Polistes metricus</i> Species of wasp

Polistes metricus is a wasp native to North America. In the United States, it ranges throughout the southern Midwest, the South, and as far northeast as New York, but has recently been spotted in southwest Ontario. A single female specimen has also been reported from Dryden, Maine. Polistes metricus is dark colored, with yellow tarsi and black tibia. Nests of Polistes metricus can be found attached to the sides of buildings, trees, and shrubbery.

<i>Vespula squamosa</i> Species of wasp

Vespula squamosa, or the southern yellowjacket, is a social wasp. This species can be identified by its distinctive black and yellow patterning and orange queen. This species is typically found in eastern North America, and its territory extends as far south as Central America. Within these territories, they create enormous, multiple-comb nests. The colonies may be either annual or perennial depending on the climate, and in many perennial nests, polygyny takes place. In addition, this species uses pheromones both as a sexual attractant and an alarm signal. This species feeds on insects and animal carcasses; it does not produce honey. V. squamosa, a social insect, has developed a parasitic relationship with the species V. vidua and V. maculifrons. Due to their painful, venomous stings, the species is considered a pest.

Apoica flavissima is a paper wasp found primarily in South America. The species is distinguishable by its light coloring, unique single comb nests, and nocturnal nature. A notable feature of this species is the size dimorphism between queens and workers. Unlike most Vespidae wasps, Apocia flavissima queens are smaller than their worker counterparts which results in unique intraspecies relationships.

Brachygastra lecheguana, formerly known as Nectarina lecheguana, is a species of dark paper wasp found across North and South America. It nests in underbrush in grassland-type environments, and produces honey, characteristic of the genus Brachygastra.

<i>Polistes canadensis</i> Species of wasp

Polistes canadensis is a species of red paper wasp found in the Neotropical realm. It is a primitively eusocial wasp as a member of the subfamily Polistinae. A largely predatory species, it hunts for caterpillar meat to supply its colony, often supplementing its developing larvae with nectar. The most widely distributed American species of the genus Polistes, it colonizes multiple combs, which it rears year-round.

<i>Synoeca cyanea</i> Species of wasp

Synoeca cyanea, commonly known as the marimbondo-tatu in Brazil, is a swarm-founding eusocial wasp. Native to Brazil and Argentina, S. cyanea is one of the largest and most aggressive species of social wasps and is feared in many rural areas. It begins its colony cycle in the early spring and continues until nest abandonment. Throughout its life, S. cyanea forage sugary substances and animal carcasses for food and wood pulp for its nest. S. cyanea is also known for its strong venom, which is enough to cause haemolytic activity.

<i>Agelaia pallipes</i> Species of wasp

Agelaia pallipes is a species of social paper wasp found from Costa Rica to Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. A. pallipes is ground-nesting and is one of the most aggressive wasps in South America. This species is a predator of other insects, including flies, moths, and ground crickets, as well as baby birds.

<i>Protonectarina</i> Genus of wasps

Protonectarina sylveirae, commonly referred to as the Brazilian wasp, is a neotropical swarm-founding wasp species that ranges widely across South America. This species relies heavily on the consumption of animal protein rather than nectar. P. sylveirae preys heavily on agricultural pests to coffee crops, keeping pest populations low.

<i>Belonogaster petiolata</i> Species of wasp

Belonogaster petiolata is a species of primitively eusocial wasp that dwells in southern Africa, in temperate or subhumid climate zones. This wasp species has a strong presence in South Africa and has also been seen in northern Johannesburg. Many colonies can be found in caves. The Sterkfontein Caves in South Africa, for example, contain large populations of B. petiolata.

Protopolybia exigua is a species of vespid wasp found in South America and Southern Brazil. These neotropical wasps, of the tribe Epiponini, form large colonies with multiple queens per colony. P. exigua are small wasps that find nourishment from nectar and prey on arthropods. Their nests are disc-shaped and hang from the undersides of leaves and tree branches. This particular species of wasp can be hard to study because they frequently abandon their nests. P. exigua continuously seek refuge from phorid fly attacks and thus often flee infested nests to build new ones. The wasps' most common predators are ants and the parasitoid phorid flies from the Phoridae family.

<i>Polybia sericea</i> Species of wasp

Polybia sericea is a social, tropical wasp of the family Vespidae that can be found in South America. It founds its colonies by swarming migrations, and feeds on nectar and arthropods.

<i>Polistes versicolor</i> Species of wasp

Polistes versicolor, also known as the variegated paper wasp or yellow paper wasp, is a subtropical social wasp within Polistes, the most common genus of paper wasp. It is the most widely distributed of South American wasp species and is particularly common in the Southeastern Brazilian states. This social wasp is commonly referred to as the yellow paper wasp due to the distinct yellow bands found on its thorax and abdomen. The P. versicolor nest, made of chewed vegetable fiber, is typically a single, uncovered comb attached to the substrate by a single petiole. The yellow wasp is frequently found in urban areas. New nests and colonies are usually founded by an association of females, sometimes in human buildings.

<i>Ropalidia romandi</i> Species of wasp

Ropalidia romandi, also known as the yellow brown paper wasp or the yellow paper wasp. is a species of paper wasp found in Northern and Eastern Australia. R. romandi is a swarm-founding wasp, and manages perennial nests. Its nests are known as 'paper bag nests' and have different architectural structures, depending on the substrates from which they are built. The specific name honors Gustave, baron de Romand, a prominent French political figure and amateur entomologist.

<i>Synoeca surinama</i> Species of wasp

Synoeca surinama is a Neotropical swarm-founding wasp of the tribe Epiponini. It is known for its metallic blue and black appearance and painful sting. S. surinama builds nests on tree trunks and can be found in tropical climates of South America. When preparing to swarm, there are a number of pre-swarming behaviors that members of S. surinama colonies partake in, such as buzzing runs and occasional brood cannibalism. In S. surinama, social environmental conditions determine the caste ranks of individuals in the developing brood. Unlike less primitive Hymenoptera species, S. surinama display little morphological variation between egg laying queens and workers. S. surinama wasps visit flowering plants and are considered pollinators. When these wasps sting, the stinger is left in the victim and the wasp ultimately dies.

Parachartergus fraternus is a neotropical, swarm founding, polistine wasp species that is distributed throughout Central and South America. They live in nests in second growth tropical dry forests, near pasture fields, roadside areas, and urban areas as well. These wasps eat insects, such as caterpillars of Lepidoptera. They also drink nectar, honeydew, and water. The workers capture their prey during foraging. They also use venom to paralyze their prey in order to consume it later. P. fraternus wasps are not very aggressive and they do not attack when the nest is approached.

<i>Synoeca septentrionalis</i> Species of stinging wasp

Synoeca septentrionalis is one of five species of wasps in the genus Synoeca. It is a swarm-founding wasp that is also eusocial, exhibiting complicated nest structure and defense mechanisms and a colony cycle including a pre-emergence phase and a post-emergence phase. It is typically found in areas from Central to South America. This wasp is one of the larger species of paper wasps and exhibits multiple morphological adaptations as a result of this. Synoeca septentrionalis is known for possessing a very painful sting.

Polistes erythrocephalus is a species of paper wasp in the subfamily Polistinae of family Vespidae found in Central and South America. P. erythrocephalus is a eusocial wasp, meaning that it possesses both reproductive and non-reproductive castes. The cooperation between the two castes to raise young demonstrates the altruistic nature of these wasps. P. erythrocephalus exhibits a four-stage colony cycle, as do many other Polistes wasps. This species generally feeds on larvae, occasionally their own, and is preyed upon by species such as army ants.

References

  1. 1 2 Discover Life (2013). "Protopolybia chartergoides". Encyclopedia of Life. John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  2. ↑ Myers, P.; R. Espinosa; C. S. Parr; T. Jones; G. S. Hammond; T. A. Dewey (2014). "The Animal Diversity Web (online)".
  3. 1 2 Kudô, K. (November 2000). "Amino acid composition of the protein in pre-emergence nests of a paper wasp, Polistes chinensis (Hymenoptera, Vespidae)". Insectes Sociaux. 47 (4): 371–375. doi:10.1007/PL00001733. S2CID   38854701.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Felippotti, Giovanna Tocchini (2007). "Morphological studies on castes of Protopolybia chartergoides (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Epiponini) observed in colonies during male production stage". Revista Brasileira de Entomologia. 51 (4): 494–500. doi: 10.1590/S0085-56262007000400015 . hdl: 11449/22535 .
  5. ↑ Kudô, K. (October 2001). "Nest materials and some chemical characteristics of nests of a New World swarm-founding polistine wasp, (Hymenoptera Vespidae)". Ethology, Ecology & Evolution. 13 (4): 351–360. doi:10.1080/08927014.2001.9522766. S2CID   86452110.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Wasps, Wasp Pictures, Wasp Facts – National Geographic". National Geographic. 9 November 2010. Archived from the original on October 5, 2010. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 Torres, Viviana O.; et al. (2012). "Division of labor in colonies of the eusocial wasp, Mischocyttarus consimilis". Journal of Insect Science. 12 (21): 21. doi:10.1673/031.012.2101. PMC   3472919 . PMID   22954231.
  8. ↑ Wenzel, John W. (1998). "A generic key to the nests of hornets, yellowjackets, and paper wasps worldwide (Vespidae, Vespinae, Polistinae)". American Museum Novitates (3224): 1–39.
  9. 1 2 "Social Wasps" . Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  10. 1 2 3 "Natural Predators of Wasps". Animals. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
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