Symmorphus cristatus

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Symmorphus cristatus
Wasp on rock.jpg
Symmorphus cristatus female carrying mud to nest
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Infraorder: Aculeata
Superfamily: Vespoidea
Family: Vespidae
Subfamily: Eumeninae
Genus: Symmorphus
Species:
S. cristatus
Binomial name
Symmorphus cristatus
(Saussure, 1855)
Synonyms [1]
  • Odynerus (Protodynerus) cristatusSaussure, 1855
  • Odynerus (Protodynerus) pumilusSaussure, 1855
  • Odynerus (Protodynerus) philadelphiaeSaussure, 1857
  • Nortonia nevadaensisCameron, 1905
  • Symmorphus cristatus nevadensis(Cameron, 1905)
  • Symmorphus trisulcatusCameron 1906
  • Symmorphus horniiCameron, 1909)

Symmorphus cristatus is a species of mason wasp in the subfamily Eumeninae within the family Vespidae. This species is widely distributed in North America, and it preys on the larvae of leaf beetles. [2]

Contents

Description

Symmorphus cristatus is one of three Symmorphus species that occur in North America. [3] [4] Viewed from above, the metasomal tergum is narrower than S. albomarginatus or S. canadensis, and it has smaller depressions (cephalic foveae) adjacent to the simple eyes (ocelli) that are spaced closer together than those of S. canadensis. The 'femur' portion of the hind legs has conspicuous hairs, which S. canadensis lacks. [5]

Wing length of S. cristatus ranges from 5.0-9.0mm, and body markings range from pale to yellow. Males are typically about 20% smaller than females, and males typically possess a large pale spot on the ventral part of the face (clypeus) just above the mandibles, whereas in females the spot is small or absent. [3] [4]

Taxonomy

Eumenine wasps differ from other members of the Vespidae by the presence of a single spur on the middle tibia and a cleft in the 'tarsal' claw at the distal end of the legs. They generally possess three submarginal cells on the forewings and are solitary wasps, in contrast to social vespids that build communal nests. [5] Within the Eumeninae, Symmorphus wasps lack a 'petiole' or elongated first abdominal segment, [5] have a furrow on the dorsal side of the anterior abdominal segment (metasomal tergum). [6]

Distribution

Symmorphus cristatus is widely distributed across Canada from the west to the east coast. [4] [7] It is also found in northern regions and mountainous regions in the United States. [8] [9] [10] [11] In California, populations are known in the Sierra Nevada from Inyo to Siskiyou County and in the San Francisco Bay Area. [2]

Ecology

Symmorphus cristatus belongs to a lineage of 'trap-nesting' solitary wasps in which adult females forage for immature insects to provision a nest, [6] usually found in a pre-existing hole in a tree or log. [11] This 'renting' behavior may have evolved from nest-builders or nest-burrowing wasps; most species in the Eumeninae are either renters or builders, and most of these provision their nests with immature Lepidoptera (butterflies or moths) or beetles. [3] [5] Like other Eumeninae, S. cristatus uses mud or clay to construct nests where larvae are provisioned. [6]

Symmorphus wasps are known to use chrysomeline beetle larvae as prey worldwide. [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] These beetle larvae usually possess external secretion glands from which they evert volatile compounds that are considered anti-predator defenses, [17] [18] but the wasps have little difficulty foraging for them, [2] stinging them to immobilize them, [19] and provisioning each wasp larva with several prey individuals within a cell bounded by a layer of clay or mud. [11] [2] Known prey of S. cristatus include Gonioctena americana , [8] Chrysomela scripta , [8] Chrysomela crotchi , [8] [7] Chrysomela aeneicollis , [2] [20] Chrysomela schaefferi , [2] and Plagiodera californica. [2] The prey use of the wasps indicates that they are not repelled by either the host-plant derived secretions found in Chrysomela larvae or by autogeneously synthesized defensive secretion found in P. californica. [2]

Symmorphus cristatus nests may be subjects of brood parasitism by the cuckoo wasp Chrysis nitidula , as observed by Krombein [11] in eastern North America and observed for populations in the Eastern Sierra Nevada in California. [2]

Symmorphus wasps are considered major mortality factors influencing populations of several species of leaf beetles. [14] [15] [7] An ecological study on relative importance of different predators on Chrysomela aeneicollis revealed that S. cristatus and the specialist fly predator Parasyrphus melanderi had complementary effects on beetle larval survival, with P. melanderi exerting more predation pressure on eggs and young beetle larvae and S. cristatus exerting a greater effect on mature (third instar) beetle larvae, [21] upon which they specialized. [2]

Habitat

S. cristatus wasp visiting swamp whitehead flower (right) Symmorphus cristatus on swamp whitehead.jpg
S. cristatus wasp visiting swamp whitehead flower (right)

These wasps are likely to be found where there are adequate floral resources for adults, [20] [10] where adequate dead trees or logs can be found for their nests, [11] and where the chrysomelid beetle larvae used to feed larval wasps can be found. [6] [1] In Illinois, adult S. cristatus wasps were documented on flowers of diverse plants. [10] In the eastern Sierra Nevada mountains, adults can be observed on flowers feeding on nectar of plants in the Apiaceae, such as fennel ( Foeniculum vulgare ),Queen Anne's lace ( Daucus carota ), cow parsnip ( Heracleum maximum ) and swamp whiteheads ( Angelica capitellata ), also known as ranger's buttons. [2] Females tend to make nests in holes that are approximately 5 mm, [9] [22] and in the eastern Sierra Nevada, they are frequently found in lodgepole pine ( Pinus contorta ) trees or logs. [2] [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vespidae</span> Family of insects

The Vespidae are a large, diverse, cosmopolitan family of wasps, including nearly all the known eusocial wasps and many solitary wasps. Each social wasp colony includes a queen and a number of female workers with varying degrees of sterility relative to the queen. In temperate social species, colonies usually last only one year, dying at the onset of winter. New queens and males (drones) are produced towards the end of the summer, and after mating, the queens hibernate over winter in cracks or other sheltered locations. The nests of most species are constructed out of mud, but polistines and vespines use plant fibers, chewed to form a sort of paper. Many species are pollen vectors contributing to the pollination of several plants, being potential or even effective pollinators, while others are notable predators of pest insect species, and a few species are invasive pests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leaf beetle</span> Family of beetles

The insects of the beetle family Chrysomelidae are commonly known as leaf beetles, and include over 37,000 species in more than 2,500 genera, making up one of the largest and most commonly encountered of all beetle families. Numerous subfamilies are recognized, but the precise taxonomy and systematics are likely to change with ongoing research.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paper wasp</span> Vespid wasps that gather fibers from dead wood and plant stems

Paper wasps are vespid wasps and typically refers to members of the vespid subfamily Polistinae, though it often colloquially includes members of the subfamilies Vespinae and Stenogastrinae, discussed elsewhere, which also make nests out of paper. Paper wasp nests are characterized by open combs with down pointing cells. Some types of paper wasps are also sometimes called umbrella wasps, due to the distinctive design of their nests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue willow beetle</span> Species of beetle

The blue willow beetle, formerly Phyllodecta vulgatissima, is a herbivourous beetle of the family Chrysomelidae. It is dark with a metallic sheen that ranges from a blue color to bronze. It is distinguished from P. vitellinae by the latter more commonly displaying bronze coloration. European Phratora species can be distinguished based on morphology of female genitalia. The larvae undergo three instar stages from hatching to pupation. This beetle is found throughout Europe and Scandinavia, and occurs in China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Potter wasp</span> Subfamily of insects

Potter wasps, the Eumeninae, are a cosmopolitan wasp group presently treated as a subfamily of Vespidae, but sometimes recognized in the past as a separate family, Eumenidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wasp</span> Group of insects

A wasp is any insect of the narrow-waisted suborder Apocrita of the order Hymenoptera which is neither a bee nor an ant; this excludes the broad-waisted sawflies (Symphyta), which look somewhat like wasps, but are in a separate suborder. The wasps do not constitute a clade, a complete natural group with a single ancestor, as bees and ants are deeply nested within the wasps, having evolved from wasp ancestors. Wasps that are members of the clade Aculeata can sting their prey.

<i>Symmorphus</i> Genus of wasps

Symmorphus is a primarily holarctic genus of potter wasps.within the family Vespidae.

Insects have a wide variety of predators, including birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, carnivorous plants, and other arthropods. The great majority (80–99.99%) of individuals born do not survive to reproductive age, with perhaps 50% of this mortality rate attributed to predation. In order to deal with this ongoing escapist battle, insects have evolved a wide range of defense mechanisms. The only restraint on these adaptations is that their cost, in terms of time and energy, does not exceed the benefit that they provide to the organism. The further that a feature tips the balance towards beneficial, the more likely that selection will act upon the trait, passing it down to further generations. The opposite also holds true; defenses that are too costly will have a little chance of being passed down. Examples of defenses that have withstood the test of time include hiding, escape by flight or running, and firmly holding ground to fight as well as producing chemicals and social structures that help prevent predation.

<i>Parasyrphus nigritarsis</i> Species of fly

Parasyrphus nigritarsis is a species of hoverfly, from the family Syrphidae, in the order Diptera. It is known from northern Europe and North America, and has been considered to be a rare species in parts of its range. Adults visit flowers as a source of nutrition, and females lay their eggs on clutches of eggs of leaf beetles. When the Parasyrphus larvae hatch, they first consume leaf beetle eggs and then consume immature beetles until they reach the pupal stage. This species is related to hoverflies that prey on aphids as larvae, and has been investigated in studies of chemical ecology and food web ecology.

<i>Phratora vitellinae</i> Species of beetle

Phratora vitellinae, the brassy leaf beetle, formerly Phyllodecta vitellinae, is a beetle of the family Chrysomelidae found in Europe and Asia. It feeds on Populus and Salix species. The evolution of its host plant preferences and the mechanism by which it uses host plant chemicals to make a larval defensive secretion have been the subject of intense study by research groups in Europe and the Nordic countries.

<i>Brachygastra lecheguana</i> Species of wasp

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>Mischocyttarus flavitarsis</i> Species of wasp

Mischocyttarus flavitarsis is a social paper wasp found in western North America. Their nests can be found both in forests close to rivers or in close proximity to human life under the eaves of roofs. Despite the fact that M. flavitarsis nests are frequently in close contact with humans, M. flavitarsis typically will not sting, but rather ram into the threatening individual. Their colony cycle typically begins before May and will last until October. The queen will then seek a hibernation site for the winter. Perched near female hibernation sites are males with whom the female will mate. The males have claimed their territory by rubbing sternal brushes along the border of the site, leaving a chemical that deters other individuals from approaching. M. flavitarsis feed on arthropods, nectar, and animal carcasses and are often prey to birds, ants, and praying mantis.

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.

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.

<i>Symmorphus allobrogus</i> Species of wasp

Symmorphus allobrogus is a species of potter wasps belonging to the subfamily Eumeninae.

<i>Symmorphus bifasciatus</i> Species of wasp

Symmorphus bifasciatus, the willow mason-wasp, is a species of potter wasp, from the subfamily Eumeninae of the social wasp family Vespidae which is widely distributed in the Palearctic region.

<i>Phratora laticollis</i> Species of beetle

Phratora laticollis is a species of leaf beetle found in Europe and Asia. This beetle is found on Populus species and the chemistry and production of its larval defensive secretions and host plant relationships have been studied extensively.

<i>Symmorphus gracilis</i> Species of wasp

Symmorphus gracilis is a species of tube-nesting wasps.

<i>Chrysomela aeneicollis</i> Species of beetle

Chrysomela aeneicollis is a species of leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. This organism has been used as a model for studies of natural selection in nature. It is currently being investigated to study effects of environmental change on insect populations, and the evolutionary significance of variation at genes affecting metabolism and the response to stress. It has been included as a study species in the California Conservation Genomics Project, due to its presence in multiple California ecoregions and extensive knowledge of genetic variation, evolutionary ecology, and interactions with other species. Information about its range and comparisons with closely related species can be found in a review of the genus Chrysomela published in the Canadian Entomologist.

<i>Parasyrphus melanderi</i> Species of fly

Parasyrphus melanderi is a flower fly that is best known as a larval predator on the leaf beetle Chrysomela aeneicollis in the Sierra Nevada range of California.

References

  1. 1 2 Cumming, J. M. (1989). "Classification and evolution of the Eumenine wasp genus Symmorphus Wesmael (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)". Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada. 148: 5–168. doi:10.4039/entm121148fv.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Sears, Anna LW; Smiley, John T; Hilker, Monika; Müller, Frank; Rank, Nathan E (2001). "Nesting behavior and prey use in two geographically separated populations of the specialist wasp Symmorphus cristatus (Vespidae: Eumeninae)". The American Midland Naturalist. 145 (2): 233–246. doi:10.1674/0003-0031(2001)145[0233:NBAPUI]2.0.CO;2. hdl: 10211.1/796 . S2CID   6122463.
  3. 1 2 3 "66. Symmorphus cristatus (de Saussure, 1855)". Symmorphus cristatus (de Saussure, 1855). Retrieved 2021-06-18.
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  5. 1 2 3 4 Buck, Matthias; Marshall, Stephen A.; Cheung, David KB (2008). "Identification Atlas of the Vespidae (Hymenoptera, Aculeata) of the northeastern Nearctic region". Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification. 5 (1): 1–492.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Carpenter, J. M.; Cumming, J. M. (1985). "A character analysis of the North American potter wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae; Eumeninae)". Journal of Natural History. 19 (5): 877–916. Bibcode:1985JNatH..19..877C. doi:10.1080/00222938500770551.
  7. 1 2 3 Smereka, E. P. (1965). "The life history and habits of Chrysomela crotchi Brown (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in northwestern Ontario". The Canadian Entomologist. 97 (5): 541–549. doi:10.4039/Ent97541-5.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Krombein, K. V.; Hurd, P. D.; Smith, D. R.; Brooks, B. D. (1979). A catalogue of Hymenoptera north of Mexico. Vol. 2. Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
  9. 1 2 "National Pollinator Week". The Michigan Nature Guy's blog. 2016-06-20. Retrieved 2021-06-19.
  10. 1 2 3 "Insect Visitors of Illinois Wildflowers". Insect Visitors of Illinois Wildflowers. Retrieved 2021-06-18.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 Krombein, K. V. (1967). Trap nesting wasps and bees: life histories, nests, and associates. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Press.
  12. ↑ Budriene, A. (2003). "Prey of Symmorphus wasps (Hymenoptera, Eumeninae) in Lithuania". Acta Zoologica Lituanica. 13 (3): 306–310. doi:10.1080/13921657.2003.10512686.
  13. ↑ Schmidt, K.; Schmid-Egger, C. (1991). "Faunistik und Ökologie der solitären Faltenwespen (Eumenidae) Baden-Württembergs". Veröffentlichungen Naturschutz Landschaftspflege Baden-Württenbergs. 66: 495–541.Richards, O. W. (1980). Handbook for the identification of British Insects: Soliodea, Vespoidea, and Sphecoidea. Vol. 7. London: Royal Entomological Society of London.
  14. 1 2 Devantoy, J. (1948). "Les Prédateurs et les parasites de la chrysomèle du peuplier". La Feulle des Naturalistes. 3 (8): 85–89.
  15. 1 2 Rank, N. E.; Smiley, J. T.; Köpf, A. (1996). "Natural enemies and host plant relationships for chrysomeline leaf beetles feeding on Salicaceae". In P. H. Jolivet; M. L. Cox (eds.). Chrysomelidae Biology. Vol. 2: Ecological Studies. Amsterdam: SPB Publishing. pp. 147–171.
  16. ↑ Blüthgen, P. (1961). Die Faltenwespen Mitteleuropas (Hymenoptera, Diploptera). Berlin: Akademie Verlag.
  17. ↑ Pasteels, J. M.; Braekman, J. C.; Daloze, D. D.; Spencer, K. A. (1988). "Chemical defense in the Chrysomelidae". In P. Jolivet; E. Petitpierre; T. H. Hsiao (eds.). Biology of Chrysomelidae. Vol. 42. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer. pp. 233–260.
  18. ↑ Pasteels, J. M.; Rowell-Rahier, M.; Raupp, M. J. (1988). "Plant-derived defense in chrysomelid beetles". In P. Barbosa; D. K. Letourneau (eds.). Novel aspects of insect-plant interactions. New York: Wiley. pp. 235–271.
  19. ↑ Budriene, A.; Budrys, E. (2004). "Hunting behaviour of predatory wasps (Hymenoptera : Vespidae : Eumeninae): is the distribution of stinging effort phylogenetically inherited or dependent on the prey type?". Annales de la Société Entomologique de France. 40 (3–4): 259–268. doi:10.1080/00379271.2004.10697424. ISSN   0037-9271. S2CID   56085176.
  20. 1 2 3 Smiley, J. T.; Rank, N. E. (1986). "Predator protection versus rapid growth in a montane leaf beetle". Oecologia. 70 (1): 106–112. Bibcode:1986Oecol..70..106S. doi:10.1007/BF00377117. PMID   28311293. S2CID   24472517.
  21. ↑ Otto, S. B.; Berlow, E. L.; Rank, N. E.; Smiley, J.; Brose, U. (2008). "Predator diversity and identity drive interaction strength and trophic cascades in a food web". Ecology. 89 (1): 134–44. Bibcode:2008Ecol...89..134O. doi:10.1890/07-0066.1. hdl: 10211.1/799 . ISSN   0012-9658. PMID   18376555.
  22. ↑ Rank, N. E. (1994). "Host plant effects on larval survival in a salicin-using leaf beetle Chrysomela aeneicollis (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)". Oecologia (Berlin). 97 (3): 342–353. doi:10.1007/BF00317324. PMID   28313629. S2CID   20569239.
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