Cryptocheilus is a genus of spider wasps of the subfamily Pepsinae, found in the world's warmer regions. They vary in size from medium to large and are often strikingly coloured. The females construct multicellular nests in cavities, once built each cell is stocked with a spider, captured by the female. They are found in open habitats such as heaths, meadows and forest edges.

Cryptocheilus
Cryptocheilus infumatus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Pompilidae
Subfamily: Pepsinae
Genus: Cryptocheilus
Panzer 1806
Type species
Sphex annulata
Synonyms
  • Calicurgus Brullé, 1833
  • Ceratocnemis Wolf, 1960
  • Chlorocheilus Wolf, 1965

There are 24 species of Cryptocheilus known from Europe, 6 from North America and 2 recently described from the Neotropics.[2]

Species

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Selected species include[2]

References

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  1. ^ V.S.L. Pate (1946). "The Generic Names of the Spider Wasps (Psammocharidae olim Pompilidae) and Their Type Species (Hymenoptera: Aculeata)". Transactions of the American Entomological Society. 72 (3): 65–137. JSTOR 25077544.
  2. ^ a b Cambra R A & Wahis R 2005 New species of Cryptocheilus Panzer from Panama and Costa Rica (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae, Pepsinae) Notes fauniques de Gembloux 56, 3-6