Genus Abispa Mitchell

Abispa Mitchell 1838: 104, subgenus of Vespa Linnaeus.

Type species: Vespa (Abispa) australiana Mitchell 1838, by monotypy.

Monerebia de Saussure 1852: 98, genus.

Type species: Odynerus splendidus Guérin-Méneville 1838, by subsequent designation of van der Vecht 1960: 92.

Taxonomy: de Saussure 1855: 169 (genus; syn.: Monerebia de Saussure).— Smith 1857: 42 (Monorebia [!]; syn. of Abispa Mitchell).— Ashmead 1902: 208 (Abisba [!]; invalid designation of type species Vespa ephippium Fabricius as type species, not originally included).— Perkins 1912: 120 (male antenna).— Meade-Waldo 1914: 461 (syn. of Polistes Latreille; Monerebia a valid genus).— Bridwell 1919: 120, 121 (Monerobia [!]; syn. of Abispa Mitchell).—van der Vecht 1960: 95–96 (key to species).— Cardale 1985: 160–162 (cat. Australian species).

Distribution: Australia and New Guinea.

Ethology: The nests are familiar objects, large mud structures, consisting of multiple cells with thick walls, covered with pellets, and with a downwardly pointing entrance funnel that is destroyed at the end of construction; provisioning is either mass or progressive; prey: micolepidopterous caterpillars. Mating has observed to be scramble competition at water, and trap-lining of nests.