Polistes major is a Neotropical species of paper wasp found from South America north into the southern United States.[1] This species is known as avispa de caballo (Spanish: "horse's wasp") in the Dominican Republic.

Polistes major
P. major in Coral Gables, Florida
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Vespidae
Subfamily: Polistinae
Genus: Polistes
Species:
P. major
Binomial name
Polistes major

Subspecies

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There are five described subspecies:[1]

Description

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Polistes major is a larger species compared to allies within its genus, reaching 17 to 22 mm (0.67 to 0.87 in) in length, with a wingspan of up to 45 mm (1.8 in).[2] It is second in size only to P. carnifex. The coloration varies by subspecies, though the most widespread subspecies, P. m. major, has a reddish-brown ground color with broad yellow stripes. In contrast, the subspecies P. m. castaneicolor and P. m. weyrauchi are entirely reddish with no yellow markings.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b Carpenter, James M. (1996). "Distributional checklist of the species of the genus Polistes (Hymenoptera: Vespidae; Polistinae, Polistini)". American Museum Novitates (3188): 1–39. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  2. ^ Snyder, Susan Leach (2013). "Order Hymenoptera (Bees, Wasps, Ants, and Sawflies) in the Christopher B. Smith Preserve". Tortoise Preserve. Conservancy of Southwest Florida. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  3. ^ Richards, Owain Westmacott (1978). The social wasps of the Americas, excluding the Vespinae. London: British Museum (Natural History). pp. 477–488. ISBN 0565007858.