Pompilus (wasp) explained

Pompilus is a genus of spider wasps in the family Pompilidae, the members of which prey on spiders. There are seven species recognised in Pompilus sensu stricto.^[1] It is the type genus of the family Pompilidae and the subfamily Pompilinae.

Biology

Pompilus wasps are fossorial, stocking short burrows in sand with single spiders of various families upon which they lay a single egg.^[1]

Distribution

The members of Pompilus are widely distributed throughout the Old World, in both temperate and tropical regions, but with the greatest diversity in Africa.^[1]

The species are:

• Pompilus 3-punctatus Spinola, 1808^[2]
• Pompilus accolens Cresson, 1869
• Pompilus cinereus (Fabricius, 1775) leaden spider wasp^[1]
• Pompilus mirandus (Saussure, 1867)^[1]
• Pompilus cadmius Saussure, 1892^[1]
• Pompilus bilineatus (Arnold 1937)^[1]
• Pompilus botswana Day, 1972^[1]
• Pompilus irpex Gerstaecker, 1858^[1]
• Pompilus niveus Saunders, 1901^[1]

Notes and References

1. Day M.C . 1981 . A revision of Pompilus (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera : Pompilidae), with further nomenclatural and biological considerations . 42 . 1 . 1–42 . Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History): Entomology.
2. Web site: Pompilus Fabricius, 1798 . www.gbif.org . 2 March 2021 . en.