13 new wasp species discovered in Kenya, Burundi: researchers

By Park Sae-jin Posted : June 11, 2015, 16:48 Updated : June 11, 2015, 16:48
Researchers from the Nairobi-based global research center and Italy have found 13 previously unknown wasp species in Kenya and Burundi.

Scientist Robert Copeland at the International Center of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) said in a statement on Monday that wasps belong to the third largest order of insects, Hymenoptera, known more commonly as "membrane-winged" insects.

"Although well over 100,000 species of Hymenoptera are recognized globally, many more are yet to be described, with wasps, and those of Africa particularly, being insufficiently studied," Copeland said.

In naming the species, scientists from the ICIPE in collaboration with colleagues from the Tropical Entomology Research Institute and the University of Tuscia, both in Italy, immortalized various sites and individuals from the two countries, and from across the world.

Copeland observed that while in general there are significant taxonomic gaps for most living organisms, the situation is even more critical in regard to groups composed mostly of small species, as is the case for many families of wasps.

The scientist said all of the 13 new wasp species discovered recently belong to a moderately-sized cosmopolitan family of Hymenoptera, known as Dryinidae.

By Ruchi Singh
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