Dilophotopsis concolor ( Cresson, 1865 )

Boehme, Nicole F., Tanner, David A., Williams, Kevin A. & Pitts, James P., 2012, Faunal study of velvet ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) and their activity patterns and habitat preference at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Nye County, Nevada, USA, Zootaxa 3587, pp. 1-45 : 12-13

Dilophotopsis concolor ( Cresson, 1865)

Mutilla concolor Cresson, 1865: 390 ,

3. Holotype: "Colorado" (ANSP).

Mutilla nanula Dalla Torre, 1897: 65 . New name for Mutilla pygmea Blake, 1879 ,

♀. Lectotype (designated here): "Bowlder, Colorado" (ANSP), nom. praeocc., nec Gerstaecker 1874.

Odontophotopsis alamonis Viereck, 1904: 87 ,

3. Holotype: New Mexico, Alamogordo (ANSP).

Odontophotopsis crassus Viereck, 1924: 112 ,

3. Holotype: British Colombia, Oliver (CNCI).

Dilophotopsis concolor laredo Schuster, 1958: 86 ,

3. Holotype: Texas, Winterhaven (UMSP).

Dilophotopsis concolor utahensis Schuster, 1958: 87 ,

3. Holotype: Utah, Delle (CUIC).

Diagnosis. MALE. The male of this species can be easily identified by male genitalic characters. The external margin of the cuspis is angulate, with a dorsal carina present at the elbowed region, although the shape of the cuspis and the size of this carina vary to some degree (see Wilson & Pitts 2008: Figs 3–11 ). Also, the mesosternal tubercles are peg-like, a sternal felt line is lacking, and the hypopygidium is flattened and anterolaterally possesses a short longitudinal carina. The coloration of D. concolor is variable; the body coloration ranges from stramineous to castaneous, and many specimens have piceous areas under the tergal felt lines and near the apices of the femora. The mandibles are similar to Acrophotopsis campylognatha illustrated by Pitts et al. (2010a: Fig. 2 ). FEMALE. The female of this species can be diagnosed by the following unique combination of characters: a distinct basal tooth on ventral margin of mandible and a tooth-like projection at the anterior termination of the dorsal mandibular carina, the first metasomal segment is petiolate with the second, the second metasomal tergite lacks rasp-like tubercles between the integumental punctures anteriorly, and the pygidium is laterally defined by carinae with granulate sculpturing. The coloration and setal pattern is diagnostic.

Material examined. Type material. Holotypes: M. concolor : "Colorado" ( ANSP) ; O. alamonis : New Mexico, Alamogordo, 15 May 1902 ( ANSP) ; O. crassus: British Colombia, Oliver, 24 July 1923, E. R. Buckell, type no. 754 ( CNCI) ; D. concolor laredo : Texas, Winterhaven, 9 April 1935, S. E. Jones ( UMSP) ; D. concolor utahensis : Utah, Delle, 16 July 1927, J. C. Bradley ( CUIC). Lectotype of M. pygmaea Blake : "Bowlder, Colorado" ( ANSP). Other material. Nevada, Nye Co., AMNWR: Non-dune site 1: 1 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 2 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, NFB ; Non-dune site 2: 3 ♂, LT, 12–14.V.2009, 12 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 3 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 2 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 7 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 4–6.VIII.2009, NFB ; Non-dune site 3: 3 ♂, LT, 12–14.V.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, 7 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 4–6.VIII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, NFB ; Non-dune site 4: 11 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 2 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 8 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 8 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 2 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, NFB ; Sand dune site 1: 2 ♂, LT, 26.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & JPP, 2 ♂, LT, 12–14.V.2009, 2 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 1 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 3 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, NFB ; Sand dune site 2: 4 ♂, LT, 12–14.V.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 1 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 1 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 4 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 4–6.IX.2009, NFB ; Sand dune site 3: 1 ♂, LT, 12–14.V.2009, 2 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 4–6.VIII.2009, 2 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, NFB ; Sand dune site 4: 3 ♂, LT, 9. VI.2008, 3 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 9 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, NFB ; Sand dune site 5: 2 ♂, LT, 24.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & JPP, 1 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, NFB ; Non-dune site 5: 1 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 2 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 1 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, NFB ; Copeland site: 1 ♂, LT, 5.V.2008, DAT, 4 ♂, LT, 14. V.2008, 1 ♂, LT, 13.VI.2008, NFB & DAT.

Distribution. USA (California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Washington, Wyoming and Utah), Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Jalisco, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas), Canada (British Colombia).

Activity. Males were active from mid-spring through late summer (May through September). No females were collected.

Remarks. Dilophotopsis concolor were uniformly distributed across sand dune and non-sand dune habitats (U=16, p>0.2). One hundred fifty-six D. concolor males were collected from May through September at light traps. Only one D. concolor specimen was found at the NTS ( Ferguson 1967).

This genus was reviewed by Wilson and Pitts (2008), where they discovered that this species is morphologically and molecularly distinct from the other three subspecies, and raised it to the species level from the subspecies level. The female of this species was described by Pitts et al. 2007.

For this study we have designated a lectotype from the available syntypes. The lectotype was selected based on having extruded genitalia and the quality of the specimen. The label data are as follows [Bowlder] [Col.] [Type no. 4616] [ pygmea . Bl.].

Figures

FIGURES 2 – 11. Male genitalia. 2. Odontophotopsis acmaea: dorsal view (left) and internal view (right); 3. O. armata: dorsal view and lateral view of cuspis (inset); 4. O. bellona: dorsal view; 5. O. mamata: dorsal view and lateral view of cuspis (inset); 6. O. microdonta: dorsal view (right) and ventral view (left); 7. O. piute: dorsal view; 8. O. serca: dorsal view and lateral view of cuspis (inset); 9. Sphaeropthalma nana: internal view; 10. S. orestes: dorsal view (left) and ventral view (right); and 11. S. parkeri: dorsal view (left) and ventral view (right).