Jump to content

Belonogaster

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Citation bot (talk | contribs) at 04:18, 24 August 2022 (Alter: title. | Use this bot. Report bugs. | Suggested by BrownHairedGirl | #UCB_webform 3458/3722). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Belonogaster
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Superfamily: Vespoidea
Family: Vespidae
Subfamily: Polistinae
Tribe: Ropalidiini
Genus: Belonogaster
Saussure, 1854[1]

Belonogaster (belone - "needle", gaster - "belly") is a large genus of mainly Afrotropical quasisocial wasps, although some species occur in Arabia and two extend as far as India.[2] They have characteristics of both the eusocial and the solitary wasps.[3] Belonogaster constructs communal paper nests where the grubs are fed on masticated, soft-bodied insects such as caterpillars.[4] The type species is Belonogaster juncea,[4] which consists of two subspecies: Belonogaster juncea colonialis and Belonogaster juncea juncea.[5] Belanogaster wasps are an important food source for wintering European honey buzzards (Pernis apivorus) in sub-Saharan Africa.[6] In African traditional medicine, wasps of the genus are cooked with plant roots and consumed to cure various childhood sicknesses, as well as having ceremonial use similar to that of honey bees (Apis mellifera).[7] Some birds choose to build their nests near the nests of Belonogaster for protection, including mousebirds and weavers.[8]

Species

The following species are included:[4]

References

  1. ^ "Belonogaster (Genus)". Archived from the original on 2009-04-25. Retrieved 2012-03-20.
  2. ^ O. W. Richards, 1982 A revision of the genus Belonogaster de Saussure (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology 44(2): 31-114
  3. ^ "Gordon's Social Wasps Page". Archived from the original on 2012-03-08. Retrieved 2012-03-20.
  4. ^ a b c https://www.waspweb.org/Vespoidea/Vespidae/Polistinae/Belonogaster/index.htm
  5. ^ "Belonogaster_juncea". Archived from the original on 2014-11-11. Retrieved 2014-09-21.
  6. ^ http://sabap2.adu.org.za/docs/sabap1/130.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  7. ^ O. A. Lawal and A. D. Banjo, 2007. Survey for the Usage of Arthropods in Traditional Medicine in Southwestern Nigeria. Journal of Entomology, 4: 104–112.
  8. ^ "Handbook of the Birds of the World – Volume 6 – Lynx Edicions".
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Belonogaster&oldid=1106338479"