African Arthropods/Hymenoptera
About 20 000 described species of Hymenoptera (wasps, bees, ants and sawflies) are known from the Afrotropical region. Estimates of the actual species count for the region range from 100 000 species to as high as 500 000 species.[1] Nineteen different superfamilies are illustrated in this gallery in Wikimedia Commons.
The huge number of undescribed species means that many species will be extinct before we are even aware of them, as there are too few taxonomists employed to tackle the task of describing all of them in the next few decades.
Classification[edit | edit source]
The Order can be split into two Suborders - The Symphyta (Woodwasps, Horntails, Sawflies) and the Apocrita (Narrow-waisted wasps, ants and bees).
When compared to the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, the diversity of Symphyta in Africa is relatively poor, although sawflies of the Superfamily Tenthredinoidea are fairly common in forests and other woody vegetation types.
Africa has a rich diversity of Apocrita. The cladogram shown below[2] indicates the possible relationships between 11 of the superfamilies that comprise Apocrita; These 11 superfamilies are all represented in Africa. This breakdown is used by iNaturalist.[3] It is, however, not accepted by all hymenopterists, and may change as more phylogenetic evidence is accumulated.[4]
| Apocrita |
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Some common African Symphyta[edit | edit source]
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Sawfly, Arge sp. (Argidae, Superfamily Tenthredinoidea) -
Sawfly, Athalia sp. (Tenthredinidae, Superfamily Tenthredinoidea) -
Sawfly, Athalia sp. (Tenthredinidae, Superfamily Tenthredinoidea) -
![Sirex noctilio, a pest in Pinus plantations (introduced to Africa)[5]](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4d/Sirex_noctilio_F_%28prof.%29.JPG/669px-Sirex_noctilio_F_%28prof.%29.JPG)
Sirex noctilio, a pest in Pinus plantations (introduced to Africa)[5]
![Sirex noctilio, a pest in Pinus plantations (introduced to Africa)[5]](/wiki/File:Sirex_noctilio_F_(prof.).JPG)
Frequently reported African Apocrita[edit | edit source]
Aculeata (ants, bees and stinging wasps) are the most commonly observed Hymenoptera in Africa. There are many more photographs of African Aculeata on the web - See African Aculeata on WaspWeb and African Aculeata on iNaturalist
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Slender ant (Formicidae, Formicoidea) -
Female carpenter bee (Apidae, Apoidea) -
Blue mud-dauber wasp (Sphecidae, Apoidea) -
Flat wasp (Bethylidae, Chrysidoidea) -
Paper wasp (Vespidae, Vespoidea) -
Meria sp. female (Thynnidae, Thynnoidea) -
Dasylabris stimulatrix, a velvet ant (Mutillidae, Pompiloidea) -
Spider-hunting wasp (Pompilidae, Pompiloidea) -
Campsomerine wasp (Scoliidae, Scolioidea)
_(30538051244).jpg)
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Darwin wasps (Ichneumonidae) and braconids (Braconidae) are also frequently reported. Links to African Ichneumonoidea on WaspWeb and African Ichneumonoidea on iNaturalist.
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Echthromorpha agrestoria (Ichneumonidae, Ichneumonoidea) -
Goryphus tricolor (Ichneumonidae, Ichneumonoidea) -
Braconine wasp (Braconidae, Ichneumonoidea) -
Microgastrine wasp (Braconidae, Ichneumonoidea)
_(11857083186).jpg)
Small chalcidoid parasitic wasps (especially those from the families Pteromalidae, Chalcididae, Eulophidae, Eurytomidae) are also common. Links to African Chalcidoidea on WaspWeb and African Chalcidoidea on iNaturalist
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Halticoptera sp. (Pteromalidae, Chalcidoidea) -
Brachymeria sp. (Chalcididae, Chalcidoidea) -
Hemiptarsenus sp. (Eulophidae, Chalcidoidea) -
Mating seed chalcids (Eurytomidae, Chalcidoidea)
Links to stories[edit | edit source]
Eucharitidae: The ant parasitoids
Interaction of figs and fig wasps
Videos of Microgastrine wasps parasitizing caterpillars in France
Spider-hunting Wasps (Pompilidae) dragging spiders to their nests
Resources[edit | edit source]
WaspWeb - A bioinformatics resource for wasps, bees and ants recorded from the Afrotropical region.
Wasps and bees in southern Africa - A 320-page book by Sarah and Friedrich Gess published by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) - free download.
Hymenoptera of South Africa - a gallery on Wikimedia Commons
Chalcidoidea of South Africa - a gallery of chalcid wasps on Wikimedia Commons
Ichneumonidae of South Africa - a gallery of Darwin wasps on Wikimedia Commons
Microgastrinae Wasps of the World - Citizen Science
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ van Noort, Simon (2023). WaspWeb: Afrotropical Hymenoptera Initiative. www.waspweb.org/Afrotropical_Hymenoptera_book/Background_and_Motivation.htm Retrieved 22 February 2023.
- ↑ Peters, Ralph S.; Krogmann, Lars; Mayer, Christoph; Donath, Alexander; Gunkel, Simon; Meusemann, Karen; Kozlov, Alexey; Podsiadlowski, Lars et al. (2017). "Evolutionary History of the Hymenoptera". Current Biology 27 (7): 1013–1018. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2017.01.027. PMID 28343967.
- ↑ https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/326777-Aculeata
- ↑ van Noort, Simon (2023). WaspWeb: Classification of Afrotropical Hymenoptera (Wasps, Bees, Ants). www.waspweb.org/Classification/index.htm Retrieved 22 February 2023.
- ↑ van Noort, Simon (2023). WaspWeb: Sirex noctilio. www.waspweb.org/Classification/index.htm Retrieved 22 February 2023.