Genus Eremnophila

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Identification · Range · Remarks · See Also · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Thread-waisted Wasp - Eremnophila aureonotata

Eremnophila aureonotata? - Eremnophila aureonotata - male - female

Sphecidae - Eremnophila aureonotata - Eremnophila aureonotata - male - female

Eremnophila Aureonotata ? - Eremnophila aureonotata - male

Thread-waisted Wasp - Eremnophila aureonotata - female

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)

No Taxon (Aculeata - Bees, Ants, and other Stinging Wasps)

No Taxon (Apoid Wasps (Apoidea)- traditional Sphecidae)

Family Sphecidae (Thread-waisted Wasps)

Genus Eremnophila

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Eremnophila Menke, 1964

Explanation of Names

Formerly part of the closely related genus Ammophila, which means "sand lover". Eremnophila is likely from Greek eremnos, meaning black, swarthy, or dark, plus Greek phila lover (Internet searches, e.g., Guide to the South American Cichlidae). This is a very dark wasp.

Alternatively Eremnophila may be a combination of Greek, eremos, desert, plus Greek philein, to love (1). However the n is out of place, so the root eremnos is more plausible.

Numbers

Arnett, p. 595, lists one North American species in genus (2).

ITIS lists nine species in genus, as does Pulawski.

Identification

See species account for Eremnophila aureonotata.

Range

Genus confined to New World (Pulawski).

Remarks

More information on Arnold S. Menke:

Obituary for his wife, Nancy DuPre Menke. (It states Arnold was an entomologist employed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and who worked in the Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.)

A list of Funny or Curious Zoological Names by Arnold S. Menke

Story of how Menke named a wasp Aha ha

See Also

Genera Ammophila, Eremnophila and Podalonia, are closely related and comprise tribe Amminophilini in the subfamily Sphecinae (Arnett, p. 595 (2)).

Print References

Arnett, p. 595 (2)

Gordh, p. 329, gives derivation of eremophilous = "desert loving" (1)

Internet References

Pulawski, W.J. Catalog of Sphecidae sensu lato. Eremnophila (PDF)

Works Cited

1.	A Dictionary of Entomology By George Gordh, David H. Headrick

2.	American Insects: A Handbook of the Insects of America North of Mexico By Ross H. Arnett

Contributed by Cotinis on 16 February, 2004 - 12:32pm
Last updated 8 December, 2009 - 5:08pm

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