Ampulex is a large cosmopolitan genus of wasps belonging to the family Ampulicidae. Most of the >130 species occur in the tropics, particularly in the Old World, and fewer than 15 are known from the New World; fewer than 5 species are native to Europe or the United States, though the Old World species Ampulex compressa has spread to virtually everywhere that its host roaches (esp. the genus Periplaneta) can be found.[1] The few species whose biology is known are parasitoids of cockroaches; they typically inject venom into the roach that subdues or immobilizes it,[2] and then lay one to two eggs between the legs of the defenseless roach.[3]
| Ampulex | |
|---|---|
| |
| Ampulex compressa | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Ampulicidae |
| Tribe: | Ampulicini |
| Genus: | Ampulex Jurine, 1807 |
| Type species | |
| Ampulex compressa (Fabricius, 1781)
| |
| Species | |
|
>130 species | |
Selected species
edit- Ampulex canaliculata Say, 1823[4]
- Ampulex compressa (Fabricius, 1781) – jewel wasp or emerald cockroach wasp
- Ampulex dementor Ohl, 2014
- Ampulex fasciata Jurine, 1807
- Ampulex ferruginea Bradley, 1934
- Ampulex ruficollis Cameron, 1888
For further species see ITIS.[5]
References
edit- ^ Soares, M. A.; Moreira, P. S. A.; Campos, L. a. O.; Nogueira, R. M.; Pereira, M. R.; Campos, A. K.; Pires, E. M.; Soares, M. A.; Moreira, P. S. A. (August 2014). "First report of "jewel wasp" Ampulex compressa (Fabricius, 1781) (Hymenoptera: Ampulicidae) in the Amazon Biome of Brazil". Brazilian Journal of Biology. 74 (3): S233–S234. doi:10.1590/1519-6984.05913. ISSN 1519-6984. PMID 25627390.
- ^ Gal, Ram; Rosenberg, Lior Ann; Libersat, Frederic (November 2005). "Parasitoid wasp uses a venom cocktail injected into the brain to manipulate the behavior and metabolism of its cockroach prey". Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology. 60 (4): 198–208. doi:10.1002/arch.20092. PMID 16304619. Archived from the original on 2012-06-30.
- ^ Eizemberg, Roberto; Bressan-Nascimento, Suzete; Fox, Eduardo Gonçalves Paterson (September 2009). "Notes on the Biology and Behaviour of the Jewel Wasp, Ampulex compressa (Fabricius, 1781) (Hymenoptera; Ampulicidae), in the Laboratory, Including First Record of Gregarious Reproduction". Entomological News. 120 (4): 430–437. doi:10.3157/021.120.0412. ISSN 0013-872X. S2CID 83564852.
- ^ Image of A. canaliculata
- ^ "Ampulex". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
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