Megascolia procer
{{Short description|Species of wasp}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Megascolia Procer Javanensis - Filippo Turetta.jpg
| image_caption = Female (top) and male (bottom) of Megascolia procer javanensis. Private collection, F. Turetta.
| taxon = Megascolia procer
| authority = (Illiger, 1802)
| synonyms =
- Triscolia procer (Illiger, 1802)
- Scolia procer Illiger, 1802
}}
Megascolia procer, the giant scoliid wasp, is a solitary wasp in the family Scoliidae found across Asia. It is one of the largest wasps in the world, with a wingspan of {{cvt|11.6|cm|in}}.{{cite journal |last1=Sarrazin |first1=Michael |last2=Vigneron |first2=Jean Pol |last3=Welch |first3=Victoria |last4=Rassart |first4=Marie |title=Nanomorphology of the blue iridescent wings of a giant tropical wasp Megascolia procer javanensis (Hymenoptera) |journal=Phys. Rev. |date=5 November 2008 |volume=E 78 |issue=5 |doi=10.1103/PhysRevE.78.051902 |url=http://journals.aps.org/pre/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevE.78.051902|arxiv=0710.2692 |bibcode=2008PhRvE..78e1902S |pmid=19113150 |page=051902 |s2cid=30936410 }} Measurement scale on Figure 1.
Description
File:Megascolia procer MHNT dos.jpg
M. procer is a large tropical wasp with a body length of {{cvt|46|-|77|mm}}. The body is primarily black with yellowish markings on the front and vertex of the head, pronotum, scutellum, metanotum, medial spot on the first gastral tergite, and a pair of anterolateral spots on the third gastal tergite. The wings are brown with blue iridescent reflections. This structural coloration is because the wing is made of chitin, made dark with melanin, and covered with a transparent overlayer {{cvt|286|nm}} thick that acts as an interference thin film.{{cite journal |last1=Sarrazin |first1=Michael |last2=Vigneron |first2=Jean Pol |last3=Welch |first3=Victoria |last4=Rassart |first4=Marie |date=2008 |title=Nanomorphology of the blue iridescent wings of a giant tropical wasp Megascolia procer javanensis (Hymenoptera) |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/23710360 |journal=Physical Review E |volume=78 |issue=5 |page=051902 |doi=10.1103/PhysRevE.78.051902|pmid=19113150 |arxiv=0710.2692 |s2cid=30936410 }}
Distribution
The nominate subspecies has a broad range across the continent of Asia, including records in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Malaya, Thailand, Myanmar, and India. There are also subspecies found in Sumatra, Java, and Borneo.{{cite journal |last1=Betrem |first1=J. G. |last2=Bradley |first2=J. Chester |title= Annotations on the genera Triscolia, Megascolia and Scolia (Hymenoptera, Scoliidae) | journal=Zoologische Mededelingen |date=1964 |volume=39 |issue=43 |pages=433–444 |url=http://www.repository.naturalis.nl/document/149949}}{{cite book |last=Burnie |first=David |date=2001 |title=Animal: The Definitive Visual Guide to the World's Wildlife |edition=1st |location=London |publisher= Dorling Kindersley Limited |page= 632 pp |isbn=90-18-01564-4}}{{cite journal |last=Smith |first=Frederick |date= 1865 |title=Descriptions of New Species of Hymenopterous Insects from the Islands of Sumatra, Sula, Gilolo, Salwatty, and New Guinea, collected by Mr. A. R. Wallace |journal=The Journal of the Linnean Society: Zoology |volume=8 |issue=30 |pages= 61–94 |doi=10.1111/j.1096-3642.1865.tb02422.x|url=https://zenodo.org/record/24640 }}
Life cycle
File:Chalcosoma atlas m.jpg (male shown), is the host for M. procer.]]
The species is a parasitoid of the scarabaeid Atlas beetle, Chalcosoma atlas. The wasp paralyzes a beetle grub with its sting, then lays an egg on it and buries it in an underground cell. When the wasp larva hatches, it consumes its still-living host before pupating inside its remains.{{cite book |last=Piek |first=Tom |title=Venoms of the Hymenoptera: Biochemical, Pharmacological and Behavioural Aspects |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xBQlBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA161 |date=22 October 2013 |publisher=Elsevier |isbn=978-1-4832-6370-0 |page=173}}
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Subspecies
There are four subspecies of M. procer:{{cite journal | last = Osten |first = T. |date = 2005 | title= Checkliste der Dolchwespen der Welt (Insecta: Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Teil 1: Proscoliinae und Scoliinae: Campsomerini. Teil 2: Scoliinae: Scoliini. Teil 3: Literatur | trans-title= Checklist of the Scoliidae of the World. Part 1: Proscoliinae and Scoliinae: Campsomerini. Part 2: Scoliinae: Scoliini. Part 3: Literature |language= de |journal= Bericht der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft Augsburg |url=https://www.zobodat.at/pdf/Ber-Naturf-Ges-Augsburg_062_2005_0001-0062.pdf |volume=62 |issue= 220–221 |pages= 1–62|access-date=2014-06-24 }}
- Megascolia procer procer (Illiger, 1802)
- Megascolia procer bimaculata (Gribodo, 1893)
- Megascolia procer javanensis Betrem, 1964
- Megascolia procer nigriventris (Mantero, 1903)
See also
References
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