Species Notocyphus dorsalis

Classification · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Works Cited

Black and red wasp - Notocyphus dorsalis

Psorthaspis - Notocyphus dorsalis - female

Notocyphus dorsalis arizonicus male - Notocyphus dorsalis - male

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)

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

Superfamily Pompiloidea (Spider Wasps, Velvet Ants and allies)

Family Pompilidae (Spider Wasps)

Subfamily Notocyphinae

Genus Notocyphus

Species dorsalis (Notocyphus dorsalis)

Explanation of Names

Notocyphus dorsalis Cresson 1872

Numbers

2 sspp. in our area, 3 total(1): N. d. arizonicus CA‒w.NM; N. d. dorsalis e.NM‒TX; N. d. restrictus Mexico & Guatemala

Size

15‒20 mm

Range

s.CA west to s.-c.TX(1) & MO(2)

The subspecies appear to separate in the eastern half of NM, but there are few records from NM; more study is needed. — Nick Fensler

Habitat

Arid desert scrub and grasslands. Often on flowers.

Season

Mainly Jul‒Sep

Food

Adults visit flowers, especially milkweed. Koinobiont on Theraphosidae (tarantulas) or Halonoproctidae (cork-lid trapdoor spiders):(2)

Life Cycle

The female stings a tarantula and temporarily paralyzes it. The wasp then lays an egg on the spider. The spider recovers and the eggs hatches, the larva feeding on non-essential tissues first. When development is complete little is left of the spider; the larva pupates using silk and inedible pieces of the spider's exoskeleton. There appears to be a single generation per year.

Works Cited

1.	Catalog of Hymenoptera in America North of Mexico Karl V. Krombein, Paul D. Hurd, Jr., David R. Smith, and B. D. Burks. 1979. Smithsonian Institution Press.

2.	New and unusual host records for North American and South American spider wasps (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae) Frank E. Kurczewski, Rick C. West, Cecilia Waichert, Kelly C. Kissane, Darrell Ubick & James P. Pitts. 2020. Zootaxa, 4891 (1): 001–112.

Contributed by Nick Fensler on 27 July, 2006 - 11:47am
Additional contributions by v belov, PaleoJon
Last updated 22 January, 2024 - 10:05pm

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