Cryptocheilus sp. (genus)

Spider wasp at Chisholm, ACT

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Identification history

Cryptocheilus sp. (genus)	17 Oct 2019	michaelb
Cryptocheilus australis	14 Feb 2019	michaelb
Pompilidae (family)	8 Dec 2016	KimPullen
Unidentified	6 Dec 2016	michaelb

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User's notes

Size - body 20-25mm; on the northern edge of Rob Roy Nature Reserve, near Old Tuggeranong Road.

5 comments

michaelb wrote:

14 Feb 2019

This has been confirmed by Kim Pullen by Kim Pullen as Cryptocheilus sp. (genus). I would like to suggest an ID to species of Cryptocheilus australis. See references:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptocheilus_australis
https://www.flickr.com/photos/129252168@N07/23540868604
http://www.flickriver.com/photos/129252168@N07/23166876079/
https://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:biodiversity.org.au:afd.taxon:5f222600-54c7-4687-903f-ddb54fc83d0a

michaelb wrote:

14 Feb 2019

PS - most or all of the others ID'd to Cryptocheilus sp. (genus) look to be be the same as this one.

KimPullen wrote:

24 Feb 2019

Michael, to be honest I can't see a way to separate C. australis and C. bicolor, which seem to be the only ones in the genus with images online. My own separation of 'Cryptocheilus sp.' and 'C. bicolor' seems to have been inconsistent. The wasps vary in the amount of orange on the abdomen, and some have areas of black on the head, but whether these are important differences or just variation, I don't know. I'll need to get expert advice on what to look for.

michaelb wrote:

24 Feb 2019

Thanks for considering this Kim. I looked at all the Cryptocheilus species listed by ALA, and I too could only find pics of the 2 species. This specimen looked a lot like the C. australis in the photos I saw. I was hoping that a difference in colour might be enough. One of the documents I read said that C. australis occurred in SE Australia, so that made me think it was a possible choice.

KimPullen wrote:

24 Feb 2019

Yes Michael, our Cryptocheilus could be C. australis or C. bicolor, or perhaps both. I just don't know the real difference between them.

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