Distribution models of polysphinctine parasitoid wasps ( <scp>H</scp> ymenoptera: <scp>I</scp> chneumonidae) reveal sampling bias and flag potentially overlooked host interactions

Abstract The parasitoid wasps of the Polysphincta genus‐group are often assumed to be highly specialised, as most of their known interactions involve monospecific host spiders. The potential specialisation in hosts may reflect a lack of information on their interactions and geographic sampling biases. Using distribution models of parasitoids (from Acrotaphus , Hymenoepimecis and Polysphincta genera) and their known hosts based on bioclimatic and altimetric variables, we assessed how underestimated these parasitoid interactions may be, where the main geographic sampling gaps are and which species have the most limited data. According to our results, some parasitoid species seem to, indeed, exploit a narrow range of host species. We identified parasitoid species that likely have additional hosts and highlighted the main geographic sampling gaps. This study provides the basis for understanding the relationship between the geographical distribution of parasitoids and the number of their hosts, as well as a guide for future research.