Dielis tejensis

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Dielis tejensis
Male Dielis tejensis seen at flower in Burleson County, Texas.
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Scoliidae
Genus: Dielis
Species:
D. tejensis
Binomial name
Dielis tejensis
Szafranski, 2023

Dielis tejensis is a species of scoliid wasp. It is endemic to Texas.[1]

Etymology[edit]

The specific epithet comes from the latinized form of "Tejas", the Spanish name for Texas.[1]

Description and identification[edit]

The species is only known from male specimens and was described in 2023 based on genetic differences to other Dielis species. It is chromatically distinguished from the males of all other North American species of the tribe Campsomerini (except for D. pillipies) by having five stripes along its abdomen rather than four.[1]

Biology[edit]

As with most species of scoliid wasps, it is thought to parasitize soil-inhabiting Scarabaeoidea beetle grubs. However, the exact host for its larva is currently unknown.[1]

Distribution[edit]

Dielis tejensis is currently only known from Texas from the gulf coast west to Kent county.[1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e Szafranski, Przemyslaw (2023-02-02). "New Dielis species and structural dichotomy of the mitochondrial cox2 gene in Scoliidae wasps". Scientific Reports. 13 (1). doi:10.1038/s41598-023-27806-x. ISSN 2045-2322. PMC 9895450. PMID 36732536.