|
Celonites
abbreviatus
Honigwespe
|
|
Subspecies
This species is rather variable in color, especially the extent of the
yellow markings is variable. Richards (1962) recognizes a geographical
pattern in this variability, but he does not give the forms subspecies
rank and rather calls them form A (large yellow markings, southern
distribution) and form B (small yellow markings, northern
distribution). However, he recognizes a distinct subspecies C. a.
engadinensis from a very limited locality in Switzerland. As already
noted by Richards (1962), intermediates between form A and form B
occur, and at some localities (e.g. Banyuls, France) both forms occur
together. While the former suggests that both forms may form a cline
between two populations, the latter rather suggests that both forms are
bonae species. I conclude that the subspecific structure of Celonites
abbreviatus is currently unclear and I regard all names given to these
forms as synonyms until more information is available. I would like to
stress, however, that I strongly believe that this is not a monotypic
species (it might even be a complex of closely related species) and
more work has to be done on the systematics of C. abbreviatus.
Original
description
Villers, 1789
Synonyms
Vespa abbreviata Villers, 1789
Vespa abbreviatus (Villers, 1789)
Celonites abbreviatus (Villers, 1789)
Celonites abbreviatus abbreviatus (Villers, 1789)
Masaris apiformis Fabricius, 1793
Celonites apiformis (Fabricius, 1793)
Celonites abbreviatus hungaricus Mocsary, 1877
Celonites abbreviatus engadinensis von Schulthess, 1923
Celonites engadinensis (von Schulthess, 1923)
Identification
Distribution
Recorded from southern France, southern Germany, Italy, Portugal, and
from Switzerland. It appears to have a mediterranean distribution.
Biology
This page has been
updated on November 23, 2010
This site is online since May 31, 2005
Copyright © by Nikola-Michael Prpic. All rights reserved.
|
|
|
