Pachodynerus atratus (Fabricius)

Genaro, Julio A., 2011, Vespidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) of Puerto Rico, West Indies, Insecta Mundi 2011 (202), pp. 1-35 : 10

Pachodynerus atratus (Fabricius)

( Fig. 45 )

Vespa atrata Fabricius, 1798: 262 [female, male] � “Americae meridionalis insulis” (lectotype male UZMC). � Menke 1986: 655 (designation of lectotype, type locality restricted to St. Thomas).

Rhynchium atratum ; Dewitz 1881: 200. – Gundlach 1887: 159.

Monobiella atrata ; Ashmead 1900: 312. � Wolcott 1924: 41 ; 1936: 568. � Miskimen and Bond 1970: 109 [recorded from St. Croix, probably misidentification].

“ Odynerus aethiops Cress. ”; Ståhl 1882: 201 ( Puerto Rico). � Gundlach 1887: 160 (syn. of R. atratum (Fabricius)) . Nomen nudum .

Odynerus atratus ; Zavattari 1912: 192 (in subgenus Ancistrocerus , division Euancistrocerus Dalla Torre , but perhaps in subgenus Pachodynerus ).

Pachodynerus atratus ; Bequaert 1929: 558. � Wolcott 1941: 156 (Pachodyneurus [!]; in subgenus Monobiella Ashmead ); 1951: 861. � Medina Gaud and Martorell 1974: 270 (Caja de Muertos). � Menke 1986: 653 (key), 655 (Vieques; Guana; Virgin Gorda; Anegada). � Snelling 2005: 289.

Besides being widespread in Greater Puerto Rico, this species extends to Montserrat in the Lesser Antilles (Menke 1986). Wolcott (1941) recorded it nesting in a mud nest of the sphecid Sceliphron caementarium (Drury) auctt., and in 1951 presumed that this indicated that Pach. atratus was parasitic, which is certainly incorrect. Wolcott (1941, 1951) also published flower visiting records.

Figures

Figures 45-50. Images from life of vespid wasps from Greater Puerto Rico. 45) Pachodynerus atratus gathering mud up for nest construction on a path, Culebra Island. 46) Pachodynerus tibialis involved in the same activity, Mona Island. 47) Zeta abdominale with a mud ball ready for transportation to the nest, Puerto Rico. 48) Zethus rufinodus, Puerto Rico. 49) Mischocyttarus phthisicus on the nest, Puerto Rico. 50) Polistes crinitus on the nest, Mona Island.