Teratology in the solitary wasp family Sphecidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera)

Abstract

In this study, forewing teratology in 42 species of solitary wasps belonging to the family Sphecidae (Hymenoptera) collected from various provinces of Turkey were investigated for the first time. In total, 20 cases of wing venation anomalies, classified as: a) irregular vein course, b) supernumerary veins, c) defective veins and d) supernumerary cells, were observed in 112 of 1682 specimens. The most encountered wing venation anomalies were: a spur protruding from 1 m-cu to 1st discoidal cell (n = 42, 37.50%), an incomplete 1r-m cross-vein (n = 21, 18.75%), and completely reduced 1r-m cross-vein (n = 10, 8.92%). The anomalies were rather common in the species Podalonia fera (n = 19, 36.53%), P. luffi (n = 11, 33.33%), P. hirsuta (n = 18, 33.33%) and Chalybion walteri (n = 1, 33.33%). In general, anomalies were more frequently observed in male wasps (n = 65, 58.03%). Teratology could be caused by genetic, environmental or pathogenic factors.