Taxonomic studies on Wasps of Kottooli and Thalassery-Dharmadam Mangroves of Kerala (Insecta: Hymenoptera)

A detailed systematic account of wasps of Kottooli and Thalassery-Dharmadam mangroves of Kerala are reported for the first time. Nineteen species of wasps (Vespidae - 16 species; Sphecidae - 3 species) were reported. The species Antepipona brunnipes brunnipes (Fabricius, 1804), A. sibilans (Cameron, 1903), Antodynerus punctatipennis (de Saussure, 1853), Apodynerus troglodytes troglodytes (de Saussure, 1855), Indodynerus capitatus Gusenleitner, 2008, Paraleptomenes miniatus mephitis (Cameron, 1901), Phimenes flavopictum (Blanchard, 1845), Ammophila clavus Fabricius, 1775 and Sphex argentatus Fabricius, 1787 are recorded for the first time from mangrove ecosystem. The species A. brunnipes brunnipes is recorded for the first time from India.