Faunistical and ecological analysis of digger wasps (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae, Crabronidae) in Uzbekistan

Abstract

This article presents the results of scientific research conducted in 2021–2023 on the study of digger wasps belonging to the Sphecidae, Crabronidae family in different regions of Uzbekistan, as well as the results of the study of literature sources. Total 484 species of which 69 species belonging to Sphecidae family, 415 species to Crabronidae family, 21 tribes and 74 genera were recorded in our republic. In terms of subspecies, Crabroninae equals to 24.8%, Bembicinae 18.2%, Philanthinae 17.8 %, Eremiaspheciinae 15.7 %, Ammophilinae 7.2 %, Pemphredoninae 6.6 %, Sphecinae 5.2 %, Astatinae 2.1%, Sceliphrinae 1.8 % and Dinetinae 0.6 %. 125 species were identified in the North-Western region of Uzbekistan, 253 species in the North-Eastern region, 66 species in the Eastern region, 261 species in the Central region, and 101 species in the Southern region. The digger wasp species in the North-Western and Central regions of Uzbekistan have the closest similarity of 30%, and the Eastern and Southern regions have the furthest similarity. 48% of digger wasps are native to desert, 35% to mountain and lowlands and least agrocenosis landscapes.

Acta Biologica Sibirica 10: 409–439 (2024) doi: 10.5281/zenodo.11195851

Corresponding author: Muratbay A. Embergenov (embergenov.m.a@inbox.ru)

Academic editor: R. Yakovlev | Received 11 October 2023 | Accepted 25 January 2024 | Published 17 May 2024

http://zoobank.org/9A975F5A-B5A3-4400-9ABA-C3DE3432F615

Citation: Medetov MZh, Embergenov MA, Kholmatov BR, Elmurodova MV, Rakhimov MSh, Tajibaeva JD (2024) Faunistical and ecological analysis of digger wasps (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae, Crabronidae) in Uzbekistan. Acta Biologica Sibirica 10: 409–439. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11195851

Keywords

Sphecidae, Crabronidae, digger wasps, insect net, Uzbekistan, North-West, North-East, East, Central, South

Introduction

Digger wasps are found almost everywhere except the Arctic and Antarctic. All digger wasps were considered as a single family Sphecidae for a long time. Currently, these are divided into 4 families (Ampulicidae, Heterogynaidae, Crabronidae and Sphecidae) (Melo 1999). Digger wasps are among the most widespread families of Hymenopteras, and 9936 species (807 species of the Sphecidae family, 9129 species of the Crabronidae family) are known worldwide (Pulawski 2023).

The study of the first faunistic analysis and systematics in Central Asia was associated with the works by F.F. Morawitz, A.P. Fedchenko, O.I. Radoszkowski (Kazenas, 2002). O.I. Radoszkowski (1877) analyzed the materials found by A.P. Fedchenko during his expedition in the Turkestan region in 1869–1871, and identified 3 new genera and 70 new species from the North-Eastern, Eastern and Central regions of Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

To date, digger wasps have been cited in several works on faunistic analysis in Uzbekistan, including O. Radoszkowski (1871, 1872, 1877, 1888), F.F. Kohl (1888, 1891, 1906), A.V. Shestakov, (1917, 1918, 1923), V.G. Marshakov, (1973, 1976), A.G. Davletshina, G.A. Avenesova, A.K. Mansurov (1979), V.V. Gussakovskij, (1927, 1928, 1930, 1931, 1933,1935, 1936, 1937, 1952, 1987, 1971, 1973), Sh.D. Islamov, (1983, 1986, 1989), P.G. Nemkov, (1990, 2009, 2012, 2016), A.V. Antropov, (1994), V.L. Kazenas, (1995, 1998, 2002), T.T. Kulumbetova (1999), M.V. Mokrousov (2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020,), W.J. Pulawski, (1965, 1971, 1973, 1983, 1977, 1979), Yu.N. Danilov (2012, 2020 2022), Ch. Schmid-Egger, M. Hauser (2021), and others. In the article by M. Mokrousov published in 2015, it is mentioned that there are about 470 species in Uzbekistan. However, it is not mentioned in which regions these 470 species are distributed. According to our information, there are 484 species in Uzbekistan, of which 69 species belonging to the Sphecidae family and 415 species belonging to the Crabronidae family are widespread. Our goal in this article is to study in detail the faunistic studies of Sphecidae, Crabronidae families in Uzbekistan.

Materials and methods

Our research was conducted in all regions of the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2021– 2023 (Figs 1–2).

Uzbekistan is considered very convenient due to its geographical location. Uzbekistan is located at almost the same geographical latitude as the countries around the Mediterranean Sea. The countries around the Mediterranean Sea are characterized by a subtropical landscape. But due to the fact that Uzbekistan is located inland, away from warm oceans and seas, its natural conditions are completely different from the countries around the Mediterranean Sea. Because the northern part of the territory of Uzbekistan is open, the cold, dry air stream blowing from the north and northeast easily reaches the inner parts in winter. On the contrary, the presence of high mountains from the south prevents the passage of moist and warm air masses blowing from the Indian Ocean to the territory of Uzbekistan. As a result, a non-subtropical landscape was created in Uzbekistan, summer is cloudless, dry, hot and scorching, and winter is cold for this geographical latitude. Therefore, although Uzbekistan is located in the subtropical climate region, it is characterized by a landscape typical of the desert. Only the Surkhan-Sherabad valley, which is surrounded by mountains, has a dry subtropical landscape. Uzbekistan is located in the central part of Turkestan. The main part of the territory lies between the Amudarya and Syrdarya rivers and is located in the temperate and subtropical climate regions. The northernmost point of Uzbekistan is in the northeast of the Ustyurt plateau, on the coast of the Aral Sea, at 45⁰ 31⁰ north latitudes. The southernmost point is near the city of Termiz, on the banks of Amudarya, and corresponds to 337⁰ 11⁰ north latitude. The westernmost point of our republic is 56⁰ 00⁰ east on the Ustyurt plateau, the easternmost point is on the border of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, near the city of Ozgan, and is 370⁰ 100⁰ east. The distance between the northernmost point and the southernmost point of Uzbekistan is 935 km, and the distance between the westernmost point and the easternmost point is 1400 km. Various tools and methods were employed in gathering materials, such as the utilization of entomological insect nets, including the traditional method, alongside specific traps like Malaise and Yellow pan traps. Additionally, tools like tweezers and a camera were used, along with diverse locations such as bushes, tree branches, residential areas, farm buildings, and Moericke's plastic containers designed for trapping insects. Golub (2012) and Moericke (1951) were referenced sources during the collection process. The collected materials were stored in plastic containers at a concentration of 96% alcohol. MBS-9 and SMZ-161-TL binocular microscopes were also used. Species were identified using reference sources (Kazenas, 1978, 1984, 1998, Nemkov, 2016c, etc.). The coordinates+ of the material collection sites were determined using maps.me and Google Earth. In order to compare the species of digger wasps in the regional section, the degree of similarity of species in the fauna was determined using the P. Jaccard similarity coefficient, and cluster analysis was performed (Chao 2005).

K_j = c / a+b+c

Here,

K_j – similarity coefficient of Jaccard;

с – the number of similar species;

a and b – the total number of species in the compared faunas.

The materials stored in the collection of the Institute of Zoology of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan were analyzed. All literature on digger wasps was reviewed. Specimens Specimens were collected from the North-West, North-East, East, Central and South geographical regions of Uzbekistan in all seasons of 2021–2023.

Figure 1.Regions of Uzbekistan where specimens specimens were collected (a – Kyzylkum, b – Lower Amudarya State Biosphere Reserve, c – Nurata Natural Reserve, d – Kitob district, agrocenosis).

Result and discussion

Research of the fauna of digger wasps (Sphecidae, Crabronidae) of Uzbekistan has been carried out for almost 90 years and more than 1456 specimens specimens from five North-West, North-East, East, Central and South geographical regions of Uzbekistan were collected using various methods during 2021–2023 (Figs 3–5) and more than 231 biomaterials in the collection of the Zoological Institute of the Republic of Uzbekistan were analyzed. Of the total analyzed 1456 samples, 700 specimens were collected in 2021, 900 specimens in 2022 and 400 specimens in 2023. When we study them in the cross sections of seasons, they estimate 48% in spring (699), 40% in summer (578), and 12% in autumn (175). When we divide the total of 1687 collected and analyzed specimens by the regions of Uzbekistan, there are 639 specimens in the North-Western area, 196 in the North-Eastern area, 71 in the Eastern area, 720 in the Central area, and 61 in the Southern area. As for landscapes, 802 (48%) specimens were collected from the desert landscape, 572 (35%) from the mountain and lowland landscapes, and 283 (17%) from the agrolandscapes (Fig.3).

Figure 2.Distribution in the geographical areas of Uzbekistan.

More than 1250 specimens were collected by Insect net, about 500 by Malaise trap and more than 200 by Yellow pan trap (Figs 4–6).

Researchers gathered 32 samples of specimens from the Kyzylkum desert by employing the Insect net method on May 10, 2022. Collection took place during two periods: from 9⁰⁰ to 12⁰⁰ in the morning and again from 15⁰⁰ to 18⁰⁰ in the evening. (Table 1). When the collected specimens were identified, 13 digger wasps were found, of which the most species belong to Stizus ruficornis species – 4 specimens (12.5%), and the least species belong to Oxybelus kizilkumii, Philanthus venustus – 1 speciemen (3.1%).

Figure 3.Distribution of digger wasps (Sphecidae, Crabronidae) in Uzbekistan by landscapes.

Figure 4.The number of specimens of digger wasps collected from entomological Insect net in 2021.

Figure 5.The number of specimens of digger wasps collected from entomological traps in 2022.

Figure 6.The number of specimens of digger wasps collected from entomological traps in 2023.

On May 10, 2022, 32 specimens were collected in our study from the Kyzylkum desert using the insect net method (Table 1).

On May 20, 2022, when we analyzed the biomaterials collected by the Malaise trap in the new green covers established on the dry bottom of the Aral Sea, 19 specimens of digger wasps made up 7 species. It was found that 6 specimens of Ammophila heydeni were collected and made up 31.6%, while 1 specimen was collected from Pemphredon tridentata and Stizus perrisii species and it was estimated to be 5.3% each.

Using the Malaise method, researchers gathered 19 specimens on May 20, 2022, in Aralkum (Table 2).

As a result of the analysis of the obtained results, total 484 species of which 69 species belonging to Sphecidae family, 415 species to Crabronidae family, 21 tribes and 74 genera were recorded in Republic. Of these 484 identified species, 142 species were identified during our research, and 342 species were identified as a result of literature analysis (Table 3).

The research results indicate that 74% of digger wasp species belonging to Sphecidae and Crabronidae are listed by two or more authors.

Notes: General types: (+) – types mentioned in the literature; (++) – Species identified during our research; (+++) – Species identified in the literature and during our research; (-) – not determined in studies.

Furthermore, when we performed a cluster of similarity of digging wasps in five regions of Uzbekistan, the species of the North-Western region and the Central region of Uzbekistan were the closest 30% similar, which is explained by the fact that they are species of adjacent regions, i.e. desert species (Table 4).

Faunas, which are the most distant from each other in terms of species composition, are 7% similar to the species of the Eastern region and the Southern region of Uzbekistan.

In the climatic conditions of Uzbekistan, 84 species were recorded from the arid regions of Uzbekistan from the 1870s to the present, including by V.V.Gussakovskij during 1927–1952: the species such as Sphecidae: Sphex oxianus, Eremochares mirabilis and Crabronidae: Ammoplanus angularis, Astata costae, Gastrosericus flavicornis, Prosopigastra latifrons, Solierella capparidis, Solierella chivensis, Solierella flavicornis, Solierella gussakovskiji, Solierella nitida, Solierella zimini, Miscophus montanus, Pison fasciatum, Pison sogdianum, Pison hissaricum, Belomicrus kuznetzovi, Belomicrus minimus, Didineis turanica, Nysson cardinalis, Stizus zhelochovtzevi, Stizoides cyanopterus were only mentioned information by Gussakovskij.

Sh.D. Islamov recorded 153 species from the mountainous regions of Uzbekistan during his research conducted between 1971 and 1986, and among these species..., Sphecidae: Chlorion regale; Crabronidae: Psenulus pallipes, Astata costae, Tachysphex grandii, Tachysphex morawitzi, Lestica wollmanni, Crossocerus annulipes, Crossocerus strangulatus, Argogorytes hispanicus, Sphecius conicus, Cerceris tetradonta were mentioned only in the works of Sh.D.Islamov. In the scientific works of O. Radoszkowski in 1877–1891, 82 species were recorded, of which species such as Sphecidae: Prionyx sirdariensis; Crabronidae: Tachysphex fugax, Oxybelus albopictus, Oxybelus canaliculatus, Oxybelus elongatus, Oxybelus maracandicus, Oxybelus sarafschani, Lestica alata, Crabro filiformis, Crabro uljanini, Alysson maracandensis, Nysson castaneus, Brachystegus incertus, Olgia modesta, Ammatomus asiaticus, Sphecius uljanini, Psammaecius luxuriosus were mentioned only in the works of Radoszkowski. Y.N. Danilov recorded 82 species in his articles during 2012–2022, of which species such as Sphecidae: Palmodes hissaricus, Palmodes orientalis, Ammophila nemkovi, Ammophila turkestana, Podalonia caucasica were mentioned only in the works of Danilov. More than 450 species were recorded by V.L. Kazenas in his scientific works during 1978–2002, of which species such as Sphecidae: Prionyx viduatus; Crabronidae: Mimesa kazenasi, Mimesa pulawskii, Mimesa shestakovi, Diodontus ammobius, Diodontus puncticeps, Spilomena fulvicornis, Dinetus psammophilus, Liris atrata, Tachytes alfierii, Tachytes argyreus, Tachytes lanuginosus, Tachytes levantinus, Tachytes matronalis, Tachytes popovi, Tachysphex nasalis, Palarus histrio, Palarus pictiventris, Miscophus similis, Miscophus spurius, Belomicrus affinis, Belomicrus iliensis, Belomicrus gussakovskiji, Belomicrus nigrinus, Belomicrus shestakovi, Lindenius mesopleuralis, Lindenius pallidicornis, Crossocerus esau, Crossocerus jubilans, Crabro tuberculiger, Odontocrabro temporalis, Ectemnius flagellarius, Nysson argentejfasciatus, Nysson barrei, Synnevrus decemmaculatus, Bembix dubia, Bembix gracilis, Bembix olivacea, Harpactus tjanshanicus, Hoplisoides craverii, Stizus dispar, Philanthus decemmaculatus, Pseudoscolia desertica, Cerceris barchanica, Cerceris crenulifer, Cerceris erythrogaster, Cerceris furcata, Cerceris morawitzi, Cerceris pseudoflavescens, Cerceris rothnei, Cerceris shestakovi, Cerceris uvarovi were mentioned only in the works of Kazenas. A.V. Antropov recorded 101 species , of which species such as Crabronidae: Miscophus gussakovskiji, Belomicroides melas, Belomicrus nasutus, Oxybelus haemorrhoidalis, Oxybelus variegatus, Lindenius gussakovskii, Crossocerus kohli, Crossocerus vagabundus, Nysson decemmaculatus, Nysson harveyi, Bembix diversipes, Harpactus annulatus, were mentioned only in the works of A.V. Antropov. W.J. Pulawski recorded 51 species in his articles during 1965–1979, of which species such as Crabronidae: Tachysphex brevipes, Tachysphex latifrons, Tachysphex psammobius, Tachysphex sericans, Tachysphex svetlanae, Parapiagetia genicularis, Prosopigastra crassepunctata, Prosopigastra creon, Prosopigastra picea were mentioned only in the works of Pulawski. A.V. Shestakov recorded 27 species in 1917–1923, of which species such as Crabronidae: Cerceris ansa, Cerceris angustata, Cerceris hohlbecki, Cerceris icta, Cerceris interrupta, Cerceris meditata were mentioned only in his works. In the scientific works of M.V. Mokrousov in 1993–2020, 186 species were recorded, of which Sphecidae: Ammophila meridionalis; Crabronidae: Pseudoscolia armata, Dinetus turanicus, Dinetus rakhimovi, Dryudella aralensis, Dryudella rasnitsyni, Prosopigastra burgeri, Tachysphex eximius, Tachysphex mochii, Tachysphex morosus, Tachysphex speciosissimus, Eremiasphecium desertorum, Eremiasphecium schmiedeknechtii, Gastrosericus moricei, Gorytes kohlii, Harpactus betpakdalensis, Hoplisoides punctuosus, Parapiagetia rufescens, Philanthus elegantissimus, Philanthus kohlii, Philanthus reinigi, Prosopigastra burgeri, Prosopigastra insignis, Prosopigastra nubigera, Pseudoscolia armata, Spilomena mocsaryi, Cerceris kurzenkoi, Cerceris kokuevi, Cerceris spinifera were mentioned only in the works of Mokrousov. H. Dollfuss recorded 16 species in his article in 2013, of which species such as Sphecidae: Ammophila altigena, Ammophila kohli were mentioned only by Dollfuss. F.F. Kohl recorded 4 species in his works during 1888–1906, of which species such as Sphecidae: Ammophila induta was only mentioned by this author. V.G. Marshakov recorded 4 species in his articles during 1973–1976, of which species such as Crabronidae: Ammoplanops carinatus, Lindenius aptus were mentioned only by Marshakov. 89 species were recorded by P.G Nemkov in his works during 1990–2016, of which species such as Crabronidae: Didineis clavimana, Bembix tadzhika were mentioned only by Nemkov and a total of 126 species (26%) were not found during our studies and other authors. For the fauna of Uzbekistan, Philanthus venustus Rossi, 1790 species of the Crabronidae family was identified for the first time. This species was identified on 21.05.2023 from the Kyzylkum desert of Karaozek district (42°43′34.03″N 60°00′37.79″E). Furthermore, when we made a similarity cluster of digger wasps in five regions of Uzbekistan, the species of the North-Western region and the Central region of Uzbekistan were the closest 30% similar, which is explained by the fact that they are species of adjacent regions, i.e. desert species 25 (4.9%) of the 484 species of digger wasps in the fauna of Uzbekistan are very rare, 8 of them are endemic to Uzbekistan: Ammophila nemkovi Danilov, 2018, Eremochares ferghanica Gussakovskij, 1930, Dinetus rakhimovi Mokrousov et Khedher, 2020, Tachytes alfierii Pulawski, 1962, Tachysphex brevipes Pulawski, 1971, Solierella nitida Gussakovskij, 1928, Belomicroides melas Antropov, 1994, Cerceris schlettereri Radoszkowski, 1888. Thus, 10 species included in the "Red Book of Uzbekistan" (Chlorion regale F. Smith, 1873, Sceliphron shestakovi Gussakovskij, 1928, Prionyx haberhaueri (Radoszkowski, 1871), Prionyx macula (Kohl, 1889), Prionyx nigropectinatus (Taschenberg, 1869), Eremochares mirabilis (Gussakovskij, 1928), Laphyragogus kohlii (Bingham, 1896), Larra transcaspica F. Morawitz 1894, Lestiphorus oreophilus (Kuznetzov-Ugamski, 1927), Kohlia pavlovskii (Gussakovskij, 1952), and 2 species (Sceliphron shestakovi, Prionyx haberhaueri) were observed during our research. According to literature sources, Sceliphron shestakovi Gussakovskij, 1928 is distributed in Uzbekistan in Parkent district of Tashkent region, Nurota mountains of Navoi region. During our research, it was identified in the village of Suqoq, Parkent district, Tashkent region on May 17, 2021 (41°14′19.91″N 69°50′06.57″E). The species Sceliphron shestakovi lives in oases and valleys of foothill rivers. Very rare. It breeds once a year. First flight and egg-laying occur in June-August, it feeds on the flowers of various plants, mainly Apiaceae. The female representatives hunt spiders (Aranei), paralyze them, and lay their eggs in one of the houses made of moist clay. Prionyx haberhaueri (Radoszkowski, 1871) was observed on June 02, 2021 at Nurota mountain, Navoi region (40°31'43.04"N 66°46'12.55"E). According to literature sources, it is distributed in Uzbekistan in Parkent district of Tashkent region, Nurota mountain of Navoi region and Samarkand, Jizzakh, Kashkadarya regions. Prionyx haberhaueri is a rare Iranian-Turonian species. It lives in the gravel and soil areas of the low mountains. It breeds once a year. The first flight and laying eggs occur in June-August, they are fed on the flowers of various Asteraceae representative plants. Females hunt grasshoppers (Acridoidea), paralyze them, place them in a nest dug in the ground, and then lay eggs in one of them (Nurzhanov and others).

Conclusion

In conclusion, specimens collected from digger wasps represent 48% in spring, 40% in summer, and 12% in autumn. Of the collected samples, 1250 were collected by the Insect nets method, about 500 by the Malaise trap, and more than 200 by the yellow pan trap.

Digger wasps of Uzbekistan were fully analyzed, as a result, total 484 species, of which 69 species belonging to Sphecidae family, 415 species to Crabronidae family, 21 tribes and 74 genera were recorded in our republic.

We found that in Uzbekistan, 14.2% of the total digging wasps belong to Sphecidae family, and 85.7% to the Crabronidae family. It includes 11 subfamilies Crabroninae equals to 24.8%, Bembicinae 18.2%, Philanthinae 17.8 %, Eremiaspheciinae 15.7 %, Ammophilinae 7.2 %, Pemphredoninae 6.6 %, Sphecinae 5.2 %, Astatinae 2.1 %, Sceliphrinae 1.8 % and Dinetinae 0.6 %.

During our research conducted in 2021-2023, 26 species belonging to the Sphecidae family and 69 species belonging to the Crabronidae family, totaling 95 species, were identified. 62 species were identified in the North-Western region, 2 species in the North-Eastern region, 16 species in the Eastern region, and 39 species in the Central region.

Digger wasps have the closest 30% similarity between the species of the North-Western region and the Central region of Uzbekistan, while the Eastern and Southern regions have the least similarity.

Half of the digger wasps are indigenous to desert habitats, while 36% thrive in mountainous and lowland regions, and a minimum of 14% inhabit agrocenose landscapes.In the Uzbekistan fauna, 25 species (5.1%) of digger wasps (Sphecidae, Crabronidae) are classified as very rare. Eight of these species are exclusive to Uzbekistan, and ten species are listed in the "Red Book of the Republic of Uzbekistan".

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Wojciech J. Puławski (Department of Entomology, California Academy of Sciences) and Y.N. Danilov (Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals Siberian Branch Russian Academy of Science) for their assistance in using and searching for additional literature sources.

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