Stinging wasps (Hymenoptera: Aculeata), which species have the longest sting?

Sadler, Emily A.; Pitts, James P.; Wilson, Joseph S.

doi:10.7717/peerj.4743

Cited by 11 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…longest sting compared to their body size among aculeate Hymenoptera (stinging wasps, bees and ants) [17], have a remarkably strong exoskeleton [13], Zn-enriched mandibles [18], and are heavily poisonous [19,20].…”

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Mutillids also express different patterns of aposematic coloration, building up in some areas large Müllerian mimicry complexes [ 15 , 16 ]. Females possess the longest sting compared to their body size among aculeate Hymenoptera (stinging wasps, bees and ants) [ 17 ], have a remarkably strong exoskeleton [ 13 ], Zn-enriched mandibles [ 18 ], and are heavily poisonous [ 19 , 20 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A sting affair: A global quantitative exploration of bee, wasp and ant hosts of velvet ants

Ronchetti

Polidori

2020

PLoS ONE

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The vast majority of species of velvet ants (Hymenoptera: Aculeata: Mutillidae) are ectoparasitoids of immature stages of other aculeate Hymenoptera (bees, wasps and ants). Due to their cryptic, furtive behaviour at the host nesting sites, however, even basic information on their biology, like host use diversity, is still unknown for entire subfamilies, and the known information, scattered in over two centuries of published studies, is potentially hiding tendencies to host specialization across velvet ant lineages. In this review, based on 305 host associations spanning 132 species in 49 genera and 10 main lineages (tribes/subfamilies), we explored patterns of host use in velvet ants. Overall, 15 families and 29 subfamilies of Aculeata are listed as hosts of mutillids, with a strong predominance of Apoidea (bees and apoid wasps: 19 subfamilies and 82.3% of host records). A series of bipartite networks, multivariate analyses and calculations of different indices suggested possible patterns of specialization. Host taxonomic spectrum (number of subfamilies) of velvet ants was very variable and explained by variation in the number of host records. Instead, we found a great variation of network-based host specialization degree and host taxonomic distinctness that did not depend on the number of host records. Differences in host use patterns seemed apparent across mutillid tribes/subfamilies, among genera within several tribes/subfamilies, and to lesser extent within genera. Taxonomic host use variation seemed not dependent on phylogeny. Instead, it was likely driven by the exploitation of hosts with different ecological traits (nest type, larval diet and sociality). Thus, taxonomically more generalist lineages may use hosts that essentially share the same ecological profile. Interestingly, closely related mutillid lineages often show contrasting combinations of host ecological traits, particularly sociality and larval diet, with a more common preference for ground-nesting hosts across most lineages. This review may serve as a basis to test hypotheses for host use evolution in this fascinating family of parasitoids.

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Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A sting affair: A global quantitative exploration of bee, wasp and ant hosts of velvet ants

Ronchetti

Polidori

2020

PLoS ONE

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“…Further, the musculoskeletal systems that support the action of these two forms of sting shaft are necessarily different from each other (Hermann, 1968; Kumpanenko et al, 2022). The length of the sting also differs between these families, as myrmosids have a sting that is shorter than all of the mutillids that were examined in a study of the sting length of Aculeata by Sadler et al (2018).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phylogenomic inference of the higher classification of velvet ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae)

Waldren

Sadler

Murray

et al. 2023

Systematic Entomology

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The family Mutillidae (Hymenoptera) is a species-rich group of aculeate wasps that occur worldwide. The higher-level classification of the family has historically been controversial due, in part, to the extreme sexual dimorphism exhibited by these insects and their morphological similarity to other wasp taxa that also have apterous females. Modern hypotheses on the internal higher classification of Mutillidae have been exclusively based on morphology and, further, they include Myrmosinae as a mutillid subfamily. In contrast, several molecular-based family-level studies of Aculeata recovered Myrmosinae as a nonmutillid taxon. To test the validity of these morphology-based classifications and the phylogenetic placement of the controversial taxon Myrmosinae, a phylogenomic study of Mutillidae was conducted using ultraconserved elements (UCEs). All currently recognized subfamilies and tribes of Mutillidae were represented in this study using 140 ingroup taxa.The maximum likelihood criterion (ML) and the maximum parsimony criterion (MP) were used to infer the phylogenetic relationships within the family and related taxa using an aligned data set of 238,764 characters; the topologies of these respective analyses were largely congruent. The modern higher classification of Mutillidae, based on morphology, is largely congruent with the phylogenomic results of this study at the subfamily level, whereas the tribal classification is poorly supported. The subfamily Myrmosinae was recovered as sister to Sapygidae in the ML analysis and sister to Sapygidae + Pompilidae in the MP analysis; it is consequently raised to the family level, Myrmosidae, stat.nov. The two constituent tribes of Myrmosidae are raised to the subfamily level, Kudakrumiinae, stat.nov., and Myrmosinae, stat.nov. All four recognized tribes of Mutillinae were found to be non-monophyletic; three additional mutilline clades were recovered in addition to Ctenotillini, Mutillini, Smicromyrmini, and Trogaspidiini sensu stricto. Three new tribes are erected for members of these clades: Pristomutillini Waldren, trib.nov., Psammothermini Waldren, trib.nov., and Zeugomutillini Waldren, trib.nov. All three recognized tribes of Sphaeropthalminae were found to be non-monophyletic; six additional sphaeropthalmine clades were recovered in addition to Dasymutillini, Pseudomethocini, and Sphaeropthalmini sensu stricto. The subtribe Ephutina of Mutillinae: Mutillini was found to be polyphyletic, with the Ephuta genus-group recovered within Sphaeropthalminae and the Odontomutilla genus-group recovered as sister to Myrmillinae + Mutillinae. Consequently, the subtribe Ephutina is transferred from Mutillinae: Mutillini and is raised to a tribe within Sphaeropthalminae, Ephutini, stat.nov. Further, the taxon Odontomutillinae, stat.nov., is raised

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“…38 O envenenamento por reação direta de toxinas do veneno é muito raro; a dose letal estimada é de cerca de 20 picadas/ kg. 38,39,43,44 As reações anafiláticas desenvolvem-se tipicamente nos primeiros 10 minutos após a picada 38 e podem ser fatais em 30 minutos. 39 Estes fenómenos são multissistémicos e são caracterizados por uma resposta cutânea generalizada associada a choque, broncospasmo e/ou angioedema.…”

Section: Insetos Aladosunclassified

Animais Venenosos em Território Português: Abordagem Clínica de Picadas e Mordeduras

et al. 2021

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There are many native species of animals with the potential to cause severe disease in Portugal. Of the four clinically relevant snake species, the vipers (Vipera latastei and Vipera seoanei) are the most concerning. They can cause severe disease and require in-hospital management, monitoring and specific treatment, including the administration of anti-snake venom serum. The Malpolon monspessulanus and Macroprotodon brevis snakes cause mostly localized clinical manifestations, which do not require specific treatment. Only a minority of the spider species in Portugal possess chelicerae (mouthparts of the Chelicerata, shaped as either articulated fangs or pincers, which may contain venom or be connected to the venom glands and are used for predation or capture of food) long enough to perforate the human skin. Nevertheless, Latrodectus tredecimguttatus and Loxosceles rufescens spider bites may require specialized treatment in a hospital setting, as well as careful active symptom surveillance. Diversely, the treatment for Scolopendra cingulata and Scolopendra oraniensis centipedes’ bites is merely symptomatic. The only existing scorpion species in Portugal is the Buthus ibericus; its sting typically causes local symptoms with intense pain, and its treatment consists essentially of analgesia. The insects of the Hymenoptera order, such as bees and wasps, have the ability to inject venom into the skin. Most people present only with local or regional inflammatory response, and symptomatic treatment is usually effective. Even so, individuals with hypersensitivity to bee venom may develop anaphylaxis. Several marine species in the Portuguese coast are venomous to humans, including weeverfish (Trachinidae family), stingrays (Dasyatis pastinaca, Taeniura grabata, Myliobatis aquila), red scorpion fish (Scorpaena scrofa), cnidaria (Pelagia noctiluca, Chrysaora hysoscella, Physalia physalis) and bearded fireworm (Hermodice carunculata); treatment is symptomatic. Contact with the larvae or bristles (chitinous structures with locomotor or tactile functions) of Thaumetopoea pityocampa (pine processionary) can cause cutaneous, ocular and, rarely, respiratory reactions; its management is also symptomatic.

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Stinging wasps (Hymenoptera: Aculeata), which species have the longest sting?

Cited by 11 publications

References 21 publications

A sting affair: A global quantitative exploration of bee, wasp and ant hosts of velvet ants

A sting affair: A global quantitative exploration of bee, wasp and ant hosts of velvet ants

Phylogenomic inference of the higher classification of velvet ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae)

Animais Venenosos em Território Português: Abordagem Clínica de Picadas e Mordeduras

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