【Unmounted】Giant Hunter Wasp Tarantula Hawk Bird Eater Centipede Scorpion

Scientific Name: Synagris cornuta?

Common Names: Great-jawed Digger Wasp / Stag Beetle Wasp

This wasp is impressive with its branched, giant mandibles.
It is a solitary hunting wasp species that inhabits tropical Africa. There is marked sexual dimorphism, and the large males have branched mandibles that develop like fangs, giving it its common name. The female builds a nest for her larvae using mud, and unlike other digger wasps, she has the unique habit of feeding her larvae crushed moth larvae as needed, making her a subject of interest from the perspective of the evolution of sociality in hunting wasps.

The head and thorax are brown, while the top of the head, compound eyes, mesoscutum, and abdomen are black. The antennae and mandibles are yellowish-brown. Depending on the subspecies, the abdomen may have yellowish-white markings. There are also two types of male fangs: the fangs of large males branch from near the base of the mandibles and extend forward, reaching a total length of up to 4 cm including the fangs. The fangs of small males are merely knob-like protrusions and are not used as weapons. Large males stake out nests where they believe females are about to emerge and wait for them to hatch and leave the nest. During this time, if other males approach, they will try to grab and throw them off with their fangs. The thrown-off male may immediately return to fight again, or fly off to search for another nest.

Please understand that we cannot guarantee against deterioration due to shipping.
We will ship the individual pictured from the Kpanto Forest de Missahoe, Togo. It was collected in May 2023.

I am looking to trade for the following specimens: Great Capricorn Beetle (170mm up), Titan Beetle (160mm up), Callipogon sericeus (100mm up), Xixuthrus (130mm up), Red Jewel Beetle, Jewel Beetle (65mm up), Stout Elephant Beetle (130mm up), Metallic Cunningham's Platinum Scarab, Kantar Stag Beetle (85mm up), and Cancer Scarab (50mm up). Please contact me for negotiations. Multiple items can be offered for trade.