- Source: Ageniellini
Ageniellini, known as the mud-nesting spider wasps, is a tribe of spider wasps in the subfamily Pepsinae.
Description
The Ageniellini are slender-bodied spider wasps. They are distinguished from most other Pompilidae by their petiolate abdominal structure and typical absence of a transverse carina on the first segment of the gaster. These traits are, however, shared with Melanagenia of the tribe Pepsini, which is separated by the lack of malar space, deep lateral sulcus of the pronotum, and wing venation.
Distribution
The tribe Ageniellini is cosmopolitan.
Behavior
Members of Ageniellini have one of three lifestyles that either invade the nests of other spider wasp nests as kleptoparasites, build their own nests in dry soil, or build thimble-shaped nests out of mud. The most common of these nesting strategies is building mud nests, which are frequently communal in contrast to most other spider wasp groups. As typical of the rest of the family, the Ageniellini provision their nests with a single spider and then lay an egg on it. Most of the species remove the legs of their spider prey before bringing it to the nest.
Genera
There are 17 genera within Ageniellini.
Ageniella Banks, 1912
Atopagenia Wasbauer, 1987
Auplopus Spinola, 1841
Cyemagenia Arnold, 1946
Dichragenia Haupt, 1950
Dimorphagenia Evans, 1973
Eragenia Banks, 1946
Machaerothrix Haupt, 1938
Macromerella Banks, 1934
Macromeris Lepeletier, 1831
Melanagenia Wahis, 2009
Mystacagenia Evans, 1973
Paragenia Bingham, 1896
Phanagenia Banks, 1933
Phanochilus Banks, 1944
Poecilagenia Haupt, 1926
Priocnemella Banks, 1925
