Vespidae
Description | The Vespidae are a large (nearly 5000 species), diverse, cosmopolitan family of wasps, including nearly all the known eusocial wasps (such as Polistes fuscatus, Vespa orientalis, and Vespula germanica) and many solitary wasps. Each social wasp colony includes a queen and a number of female workers with varying degrees of sterility relative to the queen. In temperate social species, colonies usually only last one year, dying at the onset of winter. New queens and males (drones) are produced towards the end of the summer, and after mating, the queens hibernate over winter in cracks or other sheltered locations. The nests of most species are constructed out of mud, but polistines and vespines use plant fibers, chewed to form a sort of paper (also true of some stenogastrines). Many species are pollen vectors contributing to the pollination of several plants, being potential or even effective pollinators, while others are notable predators of pest insect species. From Wikipedia article at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vespidae, which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source Data |
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Rank | family | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Taxonomy (GBIF,PBDB) | Life : Animalia : Arthropoda : Insecta : Hymenoptera : Vespidae | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Taxonomic Status (GBIF) | accepted | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Classification (PBDB,GBIF) |
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Scientific Name | Vespidae | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Opinions (PBDB) |
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Status (PBDB) | extant | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Taxon Size (PBDB) | 93 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Extant Size (PBDB) | 22 (24%) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Recorded Appearance | 125 - 122 Ma Early/Lower Cretaceous | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Environment | terrestrial (based on Insecta) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Motility | actively mobile (based on Arthropoda) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Taphonomy | chitin (based on Insecta) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Primary Reference (PBDB) | P. A. Latreille. 1802. Histoire Naturelle, Générale et Particulière des Crustacés et des Insectes, Tome Troisième | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Common Name(s) | Plooivleugelwespen, Getingar, Hornets, Paper Wasps, Potter Wasps, Yellowjackets, Wasps | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wikipedia | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vespidae |
External Images
Fossil Distribution
Subtaxa
Name | Status | Common Name(s) | Fossil Occurrences | Oldest | Youngest |
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Eumeninae subfamily | listed (PBDB) | Potter Wasp | 23 | 93.9 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | 0 Ma Extant |
Euparagiinae subfamily | listed (PBDB) | 9 | 125 Ma Early/Lower Cretaceous | 0 Ma Extant | |
Polistinae subfamily | listed (PBDB) | 6 | 38.0 Ma Eocene | 0 Ma Extant | |
Priorvespinae ✝ subfamily | listed (PBDB) | 7 | 125 Ma Early/Lower Cretaceous | 125 Ma Early/Lower Cretaceous | |
Protovespinae ✝ subfamily | listed (PBDB) | 1 | 99.6 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | 99.6 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | |
Vespinae subfamily | listed (PBDB) | 20 | 59.2 Ma Paleocene | 0 Ma Extant | |
Aethiopicodynerus genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Agelaia genus | accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 2 | 20.4 Ma Miocene | 0 Ma Extant | |
Ancistrocerus genus | accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 2 | 59.2 Ma Paleocene | 0 Ma Extant | |
Angiopolybia genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Anischnogaster genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Apoica genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Asteloeca genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Brachygastra genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Chalogaster genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Chartergellus genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Charterginus genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Chatergellus genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Clypearia genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Curiosavespa genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Curiosivespa ✝ genus | accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 8 | 125 Ma Early/Lower Cretaceous | 93.9 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | |
Dolchivespula genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Dolichovespula genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Emeryrhynchium genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Epipona genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Eumenes genus | accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 2 | 59.2 Ma Paleocene | 0 Ma Extant | |
Eustennogaster genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Eustenogaster genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Extreuodynerus genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Icaria genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Indodynerus genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Ischnogaster genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Kennethis genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Leipomeles genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Liostenogaster genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Megacanthopus genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Metapolybia genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Metischnogaster genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Mischocyttarus genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Monacanthocnemis genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Monerebia genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Myraptera genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Nectarina genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Nectarinella genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Odynerus genus | accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 7 | 59.2 Ma Paleocene | 0 Ma Extant | |
Orientalicesa genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Palaeopolistes ✝ genus | accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 1 | 38.0 Ma Eocene | 38.0 Ma Eocene | |
Palaeovespa ✝ genus | accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 10 | 59.2 Ma Paleocene | 37.2 Ma Eocene | |
Paleovespa genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Parachartergus genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Paraicaria genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Parapolybia genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Pararhaphidoglossa genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Parischnogaster genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Polistella genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Polistes genus | accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 6 | 59.2 Ma Paleocene | 0 Ma Extant | |
Polybia genus | doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 0 Ma Extant | |||
Polybioides genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Priorparagia ✝ genus | accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 1 | 93.9 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | 93.9 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | |
Priorvespa ✝ genus | accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 7 | 125 Ma Early/Lower Cretaceous | 125 Ma Early/Lower Cretaceous | |
Protopolybia genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Protovespa ✝ genus | accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 1 | 99.6 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | 99.6 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous | |
Provespa genus | accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 1 | 20.4 Ma Miocene | 0 Ma Extant | |
Ropalidia genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Simplepipona genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Sphaerancistrocerus ✝ genus | accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 1 | 38.0 Ma Eocene | 38.0 Ma Eocene | |
Stelopolybia genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Stenogaster genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Sybillina genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Synoeca genus | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Vespa genus | accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 9 | 28.1 Ma Oligocene | 0 Ma Extant | |
Hylodynerus ciliciodes species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Hylodynerus clypearis species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Hylodynerus flaviventris species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Hylodynerus nitidus species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Hylodynerus rufinodus species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Hylodynerus tegulatus species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Odyneres bellatulus species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Odyneres lesnei species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Odyneres meade-waldoi species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Odyneres pelterae species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Odyneres pezazduus species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Odyneres sawmillsensis species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Odyneres stevensonianus species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Pararhynchium ornatum species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Pararhynchium paradoxum species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Quartiniodes hetaira species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Quartiniodes titania species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Stenodynerirllus puncrueatus species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB |
Synonymy List
Year | Name and Author |
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1802 | Vespariae Latreille p. 358 |
1906 | Vespidae Cockerell p. 54 |
1989 | Vespidae Zhang p. 312 |
1992 | Vespidae Carpenter |
1999 | Vespidae Brothers p. 243 |
2007 | Vespidae Sharkey |
2014 | Vespidae Antropov p. 394 |
2018 | Vespidae Archibald et al. p. 221 |
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Florissant Area, Florissant, Teller County, Colorado, USA