Ectemnius decemmaculatus is a species of square-headed wasp in the family Crabronidae. It is found in North America, with records from Canada and the United States.
Taxonomy The species was originally described by the American entomologist Thomas Say in 1823 under the name Crabro decemmaculatus. It has since been reclassified into the genus Ectemnius. The specific epithet decemmaculatus is Latin, meaning "ten-spotted," referring to the markings on the wasp's body.
Classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Hymenoptera
- Family: Crabronidae
- Genus: Ectemnius
- Species: E. decemmaculatus
Synonyms The species has several taxonomic synonyms, including:
- Crabro aurifrons F. Smith, 1856
- Crabro chrysargyrus Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau and Brullé, 1835
- Crabro collinus F. Smith, 1856
- Crabro decemmaculatus Say, 1823 (original combination)
- Crabro novanus Rohwer, 1911
- Ectemnius chrysargyrus (Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau and Brullé, 1835)
- Solenius chrysargyrus (Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau and Brullé, 1835)
Distribution and Ecology Ectemnius decemmaculatus is a medium-sized square-headed wasp native to North America. As a member of the family Crabronidae, it is a solitary wasp that preys on other insects, typically provisioning nests with paralyzed prey for its larvae.
