Hymenoptera Specimens from the Caño Negro Wetland, of the National Museum Collection, Costa Rica

Authors: Marcela Sánchez-Ocampo*

DOI: 10.23880/izab-16000680

Volume 9, Issue 3

Abstract

Caño Negro is a Ramsar Wetland that has been extensively studied for botanical and vertebrate species, but with a significant deficiency in insect and other invertebrate taxonomy. To contribute to diminishing this important information gap, a rapid assessment was conducted to establish a baseline taxonomic inventory, referencing specimens housed in the collection of the National Museum of Costa Rica, as well as those collected during three field expeditions. A total of 415 species, across 37 families, were found. The ecological roles of many of these species are vital for assessing their conservation status, ranging from mutualistic interactions with plant species to their role in nutrient cycling. Hymenoptera constitute one of the most important faunal groups for consideration in ecosystem assessments, particularly in the context of a Ramsar wetland.

Keywords: Ants; Bees; RAMSAR; Wasps

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