Anoplius americanus explained

Anoplius americanus is a species of blue-black spider wasp which is widely distributed in the New World.

Description

Anoplius americanus is approximately 20 mm in length. It is almost completely black, except for bright orange spots on the second and third segments on the abdomen which are specifically distinct.^[1]

Habitat and Ecology

Adults have been observed nectaring on flowers of the families Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Lamiaceae and Polygonaceae.^[2] Like other members of the genus Anoplius the predominant prey is likely to be wolf spiders of the family Lycosidae.

Distribution

Anoplius americanus can be found in North America, Central America,^{[3] [4]} and the West Indies.^{[5] [6]}

Notes and References

1. Web site: ANOPLIUS AMERICANUS . 28 August 2016 . Fontenelle Forest.
2. Web site: Flowering Plants Visited by Anoplius americanus . 28 August 2016 . John Hilty.
3. Web site: Insects of Panamá . 28 August 2016 . Arizona State University . https://web.archive.org/web/20161220074807/http://hasbrouck.asu.edu/neotrop/entomology/ident/key.php?cl=1&proj=1&taxon=All+Species . 20 December 2016 . dead .
4. Vaonoye-Eligio . Maximiliano . Melendez Ramirez . Virginia . Ayala . Ricardo . Navarro . Jorge . Delfin-Gonzales . Hugo . 2014 . Predatory Wasps (Hymenoptera of the Yucatan Peninsula . Southwestern Entomologist Perspectives . 39 . 3 . 635–646.
5. .Starr . Christopher K. . Hook . Allan W . 2003 . The aculeate Hymenoptera of Trinidad, West Indies . Occasional Papers of the Department of Life Sciences, University of the West Indies . 12 . 1–31.
6. Waichert . Cecilia . Rodriguez . Juanita . von Dolen . Carol . Pitts . James P. . 2012 . The Spider Wasps (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae) of the Dominican Republic . Zootaxa . 3353 . 1–47.