Abstract
Abstract Studies were conducted on the biology and behavioral ecology of sympatric populations of spider wasps, Pepsis cerberus and P. mexicana from the Chihuahuan Desert. Females selectively hunt the theraphosid spider Aphonoplema steindachneri as their host. Adult body size was related to the size of the host spider that larval wasps fed upon. Mean body length and head capsule width for males and females of P. cerberus was 18.9 and 21.9 mm, respectively, as compared to 19.8 and 22.8 for P. mexicana . There were no significant interspecific differences in fecundity, and fecundity was related to female body size. Number of eggs in ovarioles ranged from 5 to 26 (P. cerberus) and 4 to 20 (P. mexicana). Mean values for length (mm), width (mm) and weight (mg) of eggs for P. cerberus were 4.25 mm, 1.31 mm, and 7.21 mg, as compared to 4.31, 1.23, and 7.14 for P. mexicana. Both species exhibited five larval instars (L1–L5). Under laboratory conditions (22 ± 0.5°C, 60–70% relative humidity), 1st-instar larvae of ...
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