Synoeca

{{Short description|Genus of wasps}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = Social Wasps (Synoeca cyanea) on their nest ... (28918674181).jpg | image_caption = ''Synoeca cyanea'' on their nest | image2 = Synoeca septentrionalis.jpg | image2_caption = ''S. septentrionalis'' nest | taxon = Synoeca | display_parents = 3 | authority = de Saussure, 1852 | type_species = ''Vespa surinama'' | type_species_authority = Linnaeus 1767<ref name = Richards>{{cite book | author = O.W. Richards | year = 1978 | title = The social wasps of the Americas excluding the Vespinae | publisher = The British Museum Natural History | isbn = 0565007858 | page = 178}}</ref> | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = 6 described species }}

'''''Synoeca''''' is a genus of eusocial paper wasps found in the tropical forests of the Americas. Commonly known as '''warrior wasps''' or '''drumming wasps''', they are known for their aggressive behavior, a threat display consisting of multiple insects guarding a nest beating their wings<ref name = Hogue>{{cite book | last1 = Hogue | first1 = Charles Leonard | year = 1993 | title = Latin American Insects and Entomology | publisher = University of California Press | isbn = 0-520-07849-7}}</ref> in a synchronized fashion, and an extremely painful sting (rating at the highest level of 4 in the Schmidt sting pain index). The sting is barbed and if used often kills the wasp,<ref>{{Cite journal|title = Sting Autotomy, a defensive mechanism in certain social Hymenoptera|last = Hermann|first = Henry|date = 1971|journal = Insectes Sociaux|doi = 10.1007/bf02223116|volume=18|issue = 2|pages=111–120|s2cid = 42293043}}</ref> which may be the reason why such a striking defensive display is used. This display escalates from drumming inside the nest to hundreds of wasps moving on to the envelope of the nest and continuing to drum. If this does not deter the threat only then do the wasps begin to sting.<ref name = Hogue/>

==Distribution and habitat== The genus has a wide range within the Americas, with specimens being found in the tropical and subtropical portions thereof. ''S. septentrionalis'' is generally found in the northern part of the range, having been observed as far north as Mexico, throughout Central America and northern South America.<ref name = Andena/> A very similar species, ''S. ilheensis'', extends into Brazil and, until 2017, was reported as a southern population of ''S. septentrionalis''.<ref name = MACC/><ref name = L&M/> The other species in the genus are predominantly found in South America, as far south as Argentina.<ref name = Andena>{{cite journal | author1 =Andena, Sergio R. | author2 = Carpenter, James M. | author3 = Noll, Fernando B. | url = https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232680759 | title = A phylogenetic analysis of ''Synoeca'' De Saussure, 1852, a neotropical genus of social wasps (hymenoptera: vespidae: epiponini) | journal = Entomologica Americana | year = 2009 | volume = 115 | issue = 1 | pages = 81–89 | doi=10.1664/07-ra-002r.1| s2cid = 85860442 | hdl = 11449/225830 | hdl-access = free }}</ref>

''Synoeca'' thrives in tropical rainforests, building arboreal nests in trees, typically on the underside of major branches. A single comb is built directly on the tree trunk; and the nests have a characteristic shape which resembles an armadillo, leading to common vernacular names such as '''marimbondo-tatu''' or '''armadillo wasp'''.<ref name = MACC>{{cite journal | author1 = Rodolpho S. T. Menezes | author2 = Sergio R. Andena | author3 = Antonio F. Carvalho | author4 =Marco A. Costa | year = 2011 | title = First records of ''Synoeca septentrionalis'' Richards, 1978 (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Epiponini) in the Brazilian Atlantic Rain Forest | journal = ZooKeys | issue = 151 | pages = 75–78 | doi=10.3897/zookeys.151.1882 | pmc=3286226 | pmid=22368453| doi-access = free | bibcode = 2011ZooK..151...75M }}</ref> These wasps swarm to form new colonies, a single queen leaves the nest accompanied by some workers to a new nest site. The queen uses pheromones to suppress the reproductive behaviour of the workers. When one queen dies she is replaced by another; colonies may last up to 16 years.<ref name = Hogue/>

==Species== * ''Synoeca cyanea'' Fabricius, 1775 * ''Synoeca chalibea'' de Saussure, 1852 (often misspelled as ''chalybea'') * ''Synoeca ilheensis'' Lopes & Menezes, 2017<ref name = L&M>{{cite journal | author1 = Rogério B.Lopes | author2 = Rodolpho S.T. Menezes | year = 2017 | title = ''Synoeca ilheensis'' sp. nov., a new social wasp (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae) from Brazilian lowland Atlantic Forest (abstract) | doi = 10.11646/zootaxa.4300.3.8 | journal = Zootaxa | volume = 4300 | issue = 3 | page=445| doi-access = free | hdl = 11449/163090 | hdl-access = free }}</ref> * ''Synoeca septentrionalis'' Richards 1978 * ''Synoeca surinama'' Linnaeus 1767 * ''Synoeca virginea'' Fabricius, 1804

== Venom and potential utilisation == Entomologist Justin Schmidt has ranked the sting of the species ''S. septentrionalis'' as a 4 on his Schmidt sting pain index and has described it as "torture." "You are chained in the flow of an active volcano." This is the highest ranking in his index and also includes the bullet ant and a species of tarantula hawk in the genus ''Pepsis''.<ref name = insectrealm>{{cite web | url = https://www.insectrealm.com/most-painful-wasp-stings/ | title = 5 Most Painful Wasp Stings | access-date = 7 March 2022 | publisher = Insect Realm}}</ref><ref name = Schmidt2019>{{cite journal | author = Justin O. Schmidt | year = 2019 | title = Pain and Lethality Induced by Insect Stings: An Exploratory and Correlational Study | journal = Toxins | volume = 11 | issue = 7 | pages = 427 | doi = 10.3390/toxins11070427| doi-access = free | pmid = 31330893 | pmc = 6669698 }}</ref>

A research team in Brazil has discovered that ''Synoeca'' stings contain a newly discovered compound that could be used to treat anxiety, apparently working as effectively as diazepam when tested on rats.<ref name = Friar>{{cite web | url = https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/the-venom-of-this-dangerous-wasp-could-someday-help-treat-anxiety/ | title = The Venom of This Dangerous Wasp Could Someday Help Treat Anxiety | author = Greta Friar | date = 4 November 2016 | access-date = 25 November 2016 | publisher = WGBH Educational Foundation | work = Nova Next}}</ref>

==References== <references/>

== External links == * {{cite web |url= http://eol.org/pages/33037/overview |title= ''Synoeca'' |website= Encyclopedia of Life |access-date= August 1, 2013}}

Category:Vespidae Category:Hymenoptera of South America