New data on the occurrence and morphological abnormalities of aculeate wasps in Faro (Portugal) (Hymenoptera)

Abstract

This paper reports 40 species of aculeate wasps collected at several localities in the Faro district, southern Portugal, during 2024. The material includes 13 species of Vespidae and 27 species of Spheciformes. Among them, two species of Eumeninae (Vespidae) and 16 species of Spheciformes are classified as scarce or rare in Portugal (Baldock et al. 2020; Cross et al. 2021), highlighting the faunistic importance of the study area. One species, Ectemnius confinis (Walker, 1871), is reported here for the first time from Portugal. Three specimens of Euodynerus (Euodynerus) variegatus (Fabricius, 1793) exhibited strong malformations of the mandibles, clypeus, and genae, tentatively referred to as “oplomerocephaly,” probably caused by parasitic nematodes. These abnormalities are discussed in the context of similar deformities known in other Hymenoptera.