Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 5716 No. 4: 3 Nov. 2025
Type: Article
Published: 2025-11-03
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5716.4.3
Page range: 514-540
Abstract views: 58
PDF downloaded: 1

Taxonomic review of the pollen wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Masarinae) from the Caucasus, with the description of two new species, new nest and flower-visiting records, and a key to the species

T.I. Vyazemsky Karadag Scientific Station—Nature Reserve of RAS—Branch of A.O. Kovalevsky Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas of RAS, Nauki Str. 24, Kurortnoye, 298188 Feodosiya, Russia
Stuttgart State Museum of Natural History, Entomology Department, Rosenstein 1, D-70191 Stuttgart, Germany
Federal Scientific Center of the East Asia Terrestrial Biodiversity, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 100-let Vladivostoku Ave. 159, 690022 Vladivostok, Russia
Nakhchivan State University, University Campus, AZ 7012 Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan
Hymenoptera vespid wasps fauna trophic relationships nesting Palaearctic region

Abstract

Twelve species of the subfamily Masarinae from the Caucasus are reviewed. Two new species are described, namely Celonites carpenteri Fateryga & Mauss, sp. nov. (Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan) and Quartinia aliyevi Fateryga, Mauss, Proshchalykin & Maharramov, sp. nov. (Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan, Armenia). The hitherto unknown male of Celonites tudesculptus Kostylev, 1935 is described. Celonites osseus Morawitz, 1888, C. tudesculptus, and Quartinia araxana Giordani Soika, 1960 are reported for the first time from Azerbaijan. New flower-visiting records are documented for Celonites carpenteri, C. laetus Panfilov, 1968, C. tauricus Kostylev, 1935, C. tudesculptus, and Jugurtia eurycara Kostylev, 1935. Nests of Celonites ivanovi Mauss & Fateryga, 2022 are described for the first time. An identification key and maps detailing the geographic distribution of all species in the Caucasus are presented.

References

  1. André, E. (1881–1886) Species des Hyménoptères d’Europe et d’Algérie. Tome 2. André, Beaune, 919 + 48 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.10281
  2. Bellmann, H. (1984) Beobachtungen zum Brutverhalten von Celonites abbreviatus Villers (Hymenoptera: Masaridae). Zoologischer Anzeiger, 212 (5–6), 321–328.
  3. Bequaert, J.C. (1940) Notes on the distribution of Pseudomasaris and on the food plants of the Masaridinae and Gayellinae (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Bulletin of the Brooklyn Entomological Society, 35 (2), 37–45.
  4. Blüthgen, P. (1961) Die Faltenwespen Mitteleuropas (Hymenoptera, Diploptera). Abhandlungen der Deutschen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin. Klasse für Chemie, Geologie und Biologie, 1961 (2), 1–252. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783112537084
  5. Brauns, H. (1913) Dritter Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Masariden (Hym.) von Südafrika. Entomologische Mitteilungen, 2 (7–8), 193–209, pl. 2. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.part.14992
  6. Carpenter, J.M. (2001) Checklist of species of the subfamily Masarinae (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). American Museum Novitates, 3325, 1–39. https://doi.org/10.1206/0003-0082(2001)325<0001:COSOTS>2.0.CO;2
  7. Carpenter, J.M. & Brown, G.R. (2025) Metaparagia Meade-Waldo (Hymenoptera: Vespidae; Masarinae) of the Northern Territory, Australia, with the description of a new species. Australian Entomologist, 52 (1), 13–19.
  8. de Saussure, H.F. (1854–1856) Études sur la famille des Vespides. 3. Monographie des fausses guêpes, ou de la tribu des Masariens. Troisième partie comprenant la monographie des Masariens et un supplément à la monographie des Eumeniens. Masson, Paris and Kessmann & Cherbuliez, Genève, 352 pp., 16 pls. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.39973
  9. Erlandsson, S. (1972) Hymenoptera aculeata from the European parts of the Mediterranean Countries. EOS. Revista Española de Entomología, 48 (1–4), 11–93.
  10. Fahringer, J. (1922) Hymenopterologische Ergebnisse einer wissenschaftlichen Studienreise nach der Türkei und Kleinasien (mit Ausschluß des Amanusgebirges). Archiv für Naturgeschichte. Abteilung A, 88 (9), 149–222.
  11. Fateryga, A.V. (2025a) On the foraging behavior of two pollen wasp species of the genus Celonites Latreille, 1802 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Masarinae) from Kazakhstan. Far Eastern Entomologist, 528, 7–20. https://doi.org/10.25221/fee.528.2
  12. Fateryga, A.V. (2025b) Type specimens of the pollen wasps (Hymenoptera, Vespidae: Masarinae) deposited in the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Zoological Museum of the M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University. Zootaxa, 5632 (2), 201–242. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5632.2.1
  13. Fateryga, A.V. (2025c) The pollen wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Masarinae) in Central Asia. Contribution I. Genera Masaris Fabricius, 1793 and Quartinia André, 1884. Zootaxa, 5659 (2), 151–178. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5659.2.1
  14. Fateryga, A.V. & Fadeev, K.I. (2023) The identity of Celonites montanus Mocsáry, 1906 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Masarinae) and its first record from Kazakhstan. Zootaxa, 5319 (4), 563–572. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5319.4.6
  15. Fateryga, A.V., Mauss, V. & Fateryga, V.V. (2022) New distributional records of Celonites tauricus (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Masarinae) and new data on its behaviour at flowers. Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 92, 241–256. https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.92.87218
  16. Fateryga, A.V., Mauss, V. & Proshchalykin, M.Yu. (2023) Foraging behavior of two pollen wasp species of the genus Celonites Latreille, 1802 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Masarinae), from the Altai Mountains. Insects, 14 (5), 408. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14050408
  17. Fateryga, A.V. & Proshchalykin, M.Yu. (2024) New records of the solitary Vespidae (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Masarinae and Eumeninae s.l.) from Central Asia, with new synonyms and description of a new species of Eumenes Latreille. Zootaxa, 5529 (3), 551–569. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5529.3.7
  18. Fateryga, A.V., Proshchalykin, M.Yu. & Maharramov, M.M. (2025) New records of the eumenine wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) from Azerbaijan, with description of hitherto unknown male of Ancistrocerus terekensis Kostylev, 1940 and female of Eustenancistrocerus iranicus Gusenleitner, 2013. Zootaxa, 5633 (1), 110–122. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5633.1.5
  19. Fateryga, A.V., Proshchalykin, M.Yu., Maharramov, M.M. & Astafurova, Yu.V. (2021) New records of solitary vespid wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Masarinae and Eumeninae s. l.) from the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan. Zootaxa, 5027 (1), 36–60. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5027.1.2
  20. Gess, S.K. (1992) Biogeography of the masarine wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Masarinae), with particular emphasis on the southern African taxa and on correlations between masarine and forage plant distributions. Journal of Biogeography, 19 (5), 491–503. https://doi.org/10.2307/2845768
  21. Gess, S.K. (1996) The pollen wasps. Ecology and natural history of the Masarinae. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts and London, x + 340 pp. https://doi.org/10.4159/harvard.9780674281684
  22. Gess, S.K. & Gess, F.W. (1989) Flower visiting by masarid wasps in southern Africa (Hymenoptera: Vespoidea: Masaridae). Annals of the Cape Provincial Museums. Natural History, 18 (5), 95–134.
  23. Gess, S.K. & Gess, F.W. (2010) Pollen wasps and flowers in southern Africa. SANBI Biodiversity Series 18. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, 147 pp.
  24. Gess, S.K., Gess, F.W. & Gess, R.W. (1997) Update on the flower associations of southern African Masarinae with notes on the nesting of Masarina strucki Gess and Celonites gariepensis Gess (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Masarinae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 6 (1), 75–91.
  25. Giordani Soika, A. (1960) Notulae vespidologicae X.—Due nuove specie del Caucaso. Bollettino della Società Entomologica Italiana, 90 (7–8), 133–134.
  26. Giordani Soika, A. (1973) Designazione di lectotipi ed elenco dei tipi di Eumenidi, Vespidi e Masaridi da me descritti negli anni 1934–1960. Bollettino del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Venezia, 24, 7–58.
  27. Gusenleitner, J. (1966) Vespidae, Eumenidae und Masaridae aus der Türkei. Teil I. Polskie Pismo Entomologiczne, 36 (20), 343–363.
  28. Gusenleitner, J. (1973) Über Masaridae aus dem Nahen Osten (Vespoidea, Hymenoptera). Bolletino del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Venezia, 24, 55–69.
  29. Gusenleitner, J. (1994) Eine neue Quartinia-Art aus Kreta (Hymenoptera, Vespoidea, Masaridae). Linzer Biologische Beiträge, 26 (1), 331–333.
  30. Gusenleitner, J. (1997) Die europäischen Arten der Gattung Celonites Latreille 1802 (Hymnoptera, Masaridae). Linzer Biologische Beiträge, 29 (1), 109–115.
  31. Hicks, C.H. (1927) Pseudomasaris vespoides Cresson, a pollen-provisioning wasp. Canadian Entomologist, 59 (4), 75–79. https://doi.org/10.4039/Ent5975-4
  32. Hicks, C.H. (1929) Pseudomasaris edwardsii Cresson, another pollen-provisioning wasp, with further notes on P. vespoides (Cresson). Canadian Entomologist, 61 (6), 121–125. https://doi.org/10.4039/Ent61121-6
  33. Hungerford, H.B. (1937) Pseudomasaris occidentalis (Cresson) in Kansas (Hymenoptera—Vespidae). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society, 10 (4), 133–134.
  34. Kostylev, G. (1928) Materialien zur Kenntnis der Vespidenfauna der östlichen Krim. Entomologische Mitteilungen, 17 (6), 398–407.
  35. Kostylev, G. (1929) Materialien zur Kenntnis der Vespiden-Fauna Armeniens. Revue Russe d’Entomologie, 23 (1–2), 76–82.
  36. Kostylev, G. (1935) Materialien zur Kenntnis der Masariden-Fauna der Paläarktis. Archives du Muzée Zoologique de l’Université de Moscou, 2, 85–116. [in Russian and German]
  37. Latreille, P.A. (1802) Histoire naturelle, générale et particulière des crustacés et des insectes. Tome 3. Dufart, Paris, 468 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.15764
  38. Latreille, P.A. (1810) Considérations générales sur l’ordre naturel des animaux composant les classes des crustacés, des arachnides, et des insectes; avec un tableau méthodique de leurs genres, disposés en familles. Schoell, Paris, 444 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.34917
  39. Lichtenstein, J. (1869) [Sans titre]. In: Desmarest, E. (Ed.), Annales de la Société Entomologique de France, Série 4, 9, p. XXIX.
  40. Lichtenstein, J. (1875) [Sans titre]. In: Desmarest, E. (Ed.), Annales de la Société Entomologique de France, Série 5, 5, pp. CCX–CCXI.
  41. Martynova, K.V. (2020) Cocoons of cuckoo wasps (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae): first overview of morphology reveals unexpected traces of taxonomy. Zoologischer Anzeiger, 285, 122–138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcz.2020.02.002
  42. Mauss, V. (2006) Observations on flower associations and mating behaviour of the pollen wasp species Celonites abbreviatus (Villers, 1789) in Greece (Hymenoptera: Vespidae, Masarinae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 15 (2), 266–269.
  43. Mauss, V., Fateryga, A.V., Praz, C.J., Zimmermann, D., Mauss, H. & Prosi, R. (2024) Evolution of different adaptations for pollen uptake from flowers of Heliotropium (Boraginaceae) with narrow corolla tube in pollen wasps of the genus Celonites (Eucelonites) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Masarinae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 202 (4), zlae155. https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae155
  44. Mauss, V., Fateryga, A.V. & Prosi, R. (2016) Taxonomy, distribution and bionomics of Celonites tauricus Kostylev, 1935, stat. n. (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Masarinae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 48, 33–66. https://doi.org/10.3897/JHR.48.6884
  45. Mauss, V., Fateryga, A.V., Yildirim, E. & Carpenter, J.M. (2022a) Contribution to the taxonomy, bionomics and distribution of the Palaearctic Celonites cyprius-group (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Masarinae) with the description of two new species from the North Caucasus and East Anatolia. Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 89, 109–155. https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.89.79832
  46. Mauss, V., Kuba, K. & Krenn, H.W. (2019) Evolution of the multifunctional mouthparts of adult Vespidae. In: Krenn, H.W. (Ed.), Insect mouthparts. Zoological Monographs 5. Springer, Cham, pp. 443–478. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29654-4_14
  47. Mauss, V. & Müller, A. (2014) First contribution to the bionomics of the pollen wasp Celonites fischeri Spinola, 1838 (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Masarinae) in Cyprus. Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 39, 119–153. https://doi.org/10.3897/JHR.39.7841
  48. Mauss, V., Müller, A. & Prosi, R. (2014) Vergleich des Blütenbesuchs-, Paarungs- und Brutfürsorgeverhaltens zweier palaearktischer Artkomplexe der Pollenwespengattung Celonites (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Masarinae). Mitteilungen des Entomologischen Vereins Stuttgart, 49, 22–24.
  49. Mauss, V., Müller, A. & Yildirim, E. (2005) First contribution to the bionomics of the pollen wasp Ceramius caucasicus André 1884 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Masarinae) in Turkey. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society, 78 (3), 201–220. https://doi.org/10.2317/0410.18.1
  50. Mauss, V., Praz, C.J., Müller, A., Prosi, R. & Rosa, P. (2022b) Description of the nest of the pollen wasp Celonites jousseaumei Du Buysson, 1906 (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Masarinae) with a new host association of the cuckoo wasp Spintharina innesi (Du Buysson, 1894) (Hymenoptera, Chrysididae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 93, 139–149. https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.93.93865
  51. Morawitz, F. (1888) Hymenoptera aculeata nova. Horae Societatis Entomologicae Rossicae, 22 (3–4), 224–302.
  52. Müller, A. (1996) Convergent evolution of morphological specializations in Central European bee and honey wasp species as an adaptation to the uptake of pollen from nototribic flowers (Hymenoptera, Apoidea and Masaridae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 57 (3), 235–252. https://doi.org/10.1006/bijl.1996.0013
  53. Müller, A. & Kuhlmann, M. (2008) Pollen hosts of western palaearctic bees of the genus Colletes (Hymenoptera: Colletidae): the Asteraceae paradox. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 95 (4), 719–733. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8312.2008.01113.x
  54. Panfilov, D.V. (1968) [New species of Middle Asian and Transcaucasian hymenopterans (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae, Masaridae, Vespidae)]. Archives du Muzée Zoologique de l’Université de Moscou, 11, 36–43. [in Russian]
  55. Parker, F.D. (1967) Notes on the nests of three species of Pseudomasaris Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Masaridae). Pan-Pacific Entomologist, 43 (3), 213–216.
  56. Pauli, T., Castillo-Cajas, R.F., Rosa, P., Kukowka, S., Berg, A., van den Berghe, E., Fornoff, F., Hopfenmüller, S., Niehuis, M., Peters, R.S., Staab, M., Strumia, F., Tischendorf, S., Schmitt, T. & Niehuis, O. (2018) Phylogenetic analysis of cuckoo wasps (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae) reveals a partially artificial classification at the genus level and a species-rich clade of bee parasitoids. Systematic Entomology, 44 (2), 322–335. https://doi.org/10.1111/syen.12323
  57. Pérez D’Angello, V. (1989) Distribución geográfica de las avispas masáridas (Hymenoptera: Masaridae) de Chile. Acta Entomológica Chilena, 15, 277–280.
  58. Rahmani, Z., Rakhshani, E. & Carpenter, J.M. (2020) Updated checklist of Vespidae (Hymenoptera: Vespoidea) in Iran. Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics, 6 (1), 27–86. https://doi.org/10.52547/jibs.6.1.27
  59. Richards, O.W. (1962) A revisional study of the masarid wasps (Hymenoptera, Vespoidea). British Museum of Natural History, London, vi + 294 pp.
  60. Richards, O.W. (1963) New species of Ceramius Latreille (Hymenoptera, Vespoidea) allied to Ceramius lusitanicus Klug. Zoologische Mededelingen, 38 (13), 213–220.
  61. Richards, O.W. (1964 [1962]) Notes on the genus Quartinia Ed. André (Hymenoptera, Masaridae) with description of new forms. Bollettino del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Venezia, 15, 83–89.
  62. Rosa, P., Lelej, A.S., Belokobylskij, S.A., Vinokurov, N.N. & Zaytseva, L.A. (2019) Illustrated and annotated checklist of the Russian cuckoo wasps (Hymenoptera, Chrysididae). Entomofauna, Supplement 23, 1–360.
  63. Shorthouse, D.P. (2010) SimpleMappr, an online tool to produce publication-quality point maps. Available from: https://www.simplemappr.net/ (accessed 5 April 2025)
  64. ZOBODAT (2025a) Biogeographical data record. Available from: https://www.zobodat.at/belege.php?id=102193331 (accessed 6 March 2025)
  65. ZOBODAT (2025b) Biogeographical data record. Available from: https://www.zobodat.at/belege.php?id=101800376 (accessed 6 March 2025)
  66. ZOBODAT (2025c) Biogeographical data record. Available from: https://www.zobodat.at/belege.php?id=102193332 (accessed 6 March 2025)
  67. ZOBODAT (2025d) Biogeographical data record. Available from: https://www.zobodat.at/belege.php?id=102194131 (accessed 6 March 2025)
  68. ZOBODAT (2025e) Biogeographical data record. Available from: https://www.zobodat.at/belege.php?id=102194136 (accessed 6 March 2025)
  69. ZOBODAT (2025f) Biogeographical data record. Available from: https://www.zobodat.at/belege.php?id=102194305 (accessed 6 March 2025)
  70. ZOBODAT (2025g) Biogeographical data record. Available from: https://www.zobodat.at/belege.php?id=102194304 (accessed 6 March 2025)
  71. ZOBODAT (2025h) Biogeographical data record. Available from: https://www.zobodat.at/belege.php?id=102194303 (accessed 6 March 2025)

How to Cite

Fateryga, A.V., Mauss, V., Proshchalykin, M.Y. & Maharramov, M.M. (2025) Taxonomic review of the pollen wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Masarinae) from the Caucasus, with the description of two new species, new nest and flower-visiting records, and a key to the species. Zootaxa, 5716 (4), 514–540. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5716.4.3