Parancistrocerus histrio

Identification Atlas of the Vespidae (Hymenoptera, Aculeata) of the northeastern Nearctic region
CJAI 05, February 19, 2008
doi: 10.3752/cjai.2008.05

Matthias Buck, Stephen A. Marshall, and David K.B. Cheung

Department of Environmental Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1

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44. Parancistrocerus histrio (Lepeletier, 1841)
Figs B2.33; B7.32, 53; C44.1–5.

Species recognition. Other Parancistrocerus and Stenodynerus with entirely black metasomal segments 3–6 differ as follows: P. perennis has a bluntly angulate sternum 2 (evenly convex in P. histrio), S. histrionalis has an uninterrupted pronotal carina (broadly rounded over medially in P. histrio), P. fulvipes has large yellow discal spots on tergum 1 (absent in P. histrio but sometimes with small ferruginous spots instead, or else disc of tergum 2 largely ferruginous), and S. lineatifrons and S. histrionalis have a pitted basal groove of tergum 2 (i.e., acarinarium absent; basal groove smooth and acarinarium present in P. histrio). Further diagnostic characters of P. histrio are: dorsal surface of pronotum very coarsely punctate and with small interspaces; propodeum very coarsely rugose with a distinct horizontal shelf-like area behind metanotum; male mid femur without distinct anteroventral depression near base; wings strongly infuscated at least in female; summit of tergum 1 with irregular, transverse carina formed by enlarged, confluent punctures; dorsal surface of tergum 1 essentially flat; hind margin of tergum 2 not thickened.

Variation. Fore wing length 6.0–7.0 mm (♂♂), 8.0–9.0 mm (♀♀). Variation otherwise not studied.

Distribution. Not recorded from Canada. Eastern U.S.: newly recorded from DE (1 ♀, Augustine Beach, 1 ♀, Fenwick I., both DEBU) and MD (1 ♀, Port Republic, CNCI; 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀, Assateague I., DEBU); DC to FL and LA (Krombein 1979).

Biology. Nests in borings in wood. Closing plugs and nest partitions are made from firmly agglutinated sand. Prey consists of caterpillars (Krombein 1967, 1979).

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