Checklist of vespid wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) of Goa, India, with new records and a key to species

Abstract

This study on the vespid fauna (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) reports 33 species belonging to 22 genera and four subfamilies from the state of Goa, India. Of these, 26 species, 18 genera, and two subfamilies are newly recorded from Goa. Illustrated keys to the genera and species of vespid wasps of Goa along with notes on their geographical distribution are provided.

Diversity of vespid wasps (Hymenoptera:Vespidae) in agroecosystem and forest ecosystem of Western Ghats region of Goa, India

“…The specimens were sorted, processed, examined and deposited at the National Insect Museum of ICAR -National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources in Bengaluru, India. All the specimens collected are determined up to species level with help of the following keys: Das and Gupta 1989, Carpenter and Nguyen 2003, Kojima et al 2007, Pannure et al 2016and Gawas et al 2019 using Leica S8APO stereo zoom microscope. Images were taken with a Nikon D7000 camera with Nikkor 105 mm lens.…”

“…Being a part of the biodiversity hotspot, Goa is blessed with tremendous biodiversity. Numerous studies have been conducted to study and document arthropod fauna of Goa (Rangnekar and Dharwadkar 2009, Rangnekar et al 2010, Vyjayandi et al 2010, Rangnekar and Naik 2014, Gaude and Janarthanam 2015, Gupta et al 2015, Halali et al 2015, Bowalkar et al 2017, Maruthadurai and Singh 2017, Borkar 2018, Gawas et al 2019, Pandit and Dharwadkar 2020, Baidya and Bagchi 2020.…”

“…Many species of vespid wasps have been successfully utilized as bio-control agents for agroecosystems in different parts of the world (Gould andJeanne 1984, Picanco et al 2010). Indian Vespidae fauna is represented by 288 species belonging to 60 genera and 5 subfamilies (Gawas et al 2020), out of which 35 species, 24 genera and 4 subfamilies are known to occur in Goa (Gawas et al (2019(Gawas et al ( , 2020). Information on diversity and abundance are necessary to understand the environmental changes caused due to anthropogenic or natural factors (Lawton et al 1998).…”

“…Although taxonomic studies on Indian (Gawas et al 2020, Pannure et al 2016 and Goan Vespidae (Gawas et al 2019) are available, studies to document and compare Vespidae diversity with respect to its habitats in India are scarce. The present study was undertaken to document and compare Vespidae diversity in the forest ecosystem and agroecosystem in the Western Ghats region of Goa, India.…”