Cyphononyx optimus is a species of spider wasps in the family Pompilidae.Catalogue of life
Description C. optimus can reach a total length of about . The body length of females (head to tip of abdomen) is 19-26 mm, and of males, 14-18 mm.Arnold, G. 1932. The Psammocharidae of the Ethiopian region. Part I. Subfamily Pepsinae. Annals of the Transvaal Museum 14: 298-300. PDF has black antennae, thorax and abdomen. The head is mostly black. (The labrum and parts of the mandibles and clypeus are dark red, as are thin lines adjacent to the eyes.) The legs, are ferruginous (yellowish to red) excepting the coxae, trochanters and base of the femora, which are black. The wings are also black, but with bluish reflections.Mike Picker, Charles Griffiths, Alan Weaving Field Guide to Insects of South Africa
Females of this genus hunt and paralyse large spiders, mainly Palystes species.
Distribution and habitat This species can be found in subtropical forests, savanna, and bushveld of Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.Wasp Web It is fairly common in areas with abundant rainfall (average annual rainfall of over 750 mm).
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