Scientific name Pelecinus Rank Genus | Family Pelecinidae Higher classification Pelecinidae | |
Similar Pelecinus polyturator, Insect, Hymenopterans, Proctotrupoidea, Heloridae |
American pelecinid wasp pelecinidae pelecinus polyturator female on table
The genus Pelecinus is the only living member of the family Pelecinidae (there are also two fossil genera), and contains only three species, restricted to the New World. One species, Pelecinus polyturator, occurs from North through South America, and the others occur in Mexico (Pelecinus thoracicus) and South America (Pelecinus dichrous). The females are glossy wasps, very long (up to 7 cm) and the abdomen is extremely attenuated, used to lay eggs directly on scarab larvae buried in the soil.
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American pelecinid wasp pelecinidae pelecinus polyturator female grooming
References
Pelecinus Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA