Odontophotopsis armata Schuster, 1958

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 : 15-16

Odontophotopsis armata Schuster, 1958

( Figs 3 , 12)

Odontophotopsis (Odontophotopsis) armata Schuster, 1958: 60 ,

3. Neotype (designated by Pitts et al. 2010a): California, Riverside County, Deep Canyon (EMUS).

Diagnosis. MALE. This species can be recognized by the presence of mesosternal processes, a deeply emarginate, tridentate, mandible that is slightly oblique apically ( Fig. 12 and Pitts et al. 2010a: Fig. 4 ), and a distinct tubercle located medially on the posterior margin of the clypeus, while usually lacking a sternal felt line. In many of the specimens from Deep Canyon and other areas a trace of a sternal felt line is present, but it is defined by little more than a small cluster of micropunctures. Genitalia are illustrated in Fig. 3 . FEMALE. Unknown.

Material examined. Type material. Neotype of O. armata : California, Riverside County, Deep Canyon, 15 ♂, 23–24 May 2007, Wilson, Williams and Pitts ( EMUS) . Other material. Nevada, Nye Co., AMNWR: Non-dune site 2: 1 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, NFB.

Distribution. USA (California and Nevada), Mexico (Baja California).

Activity. Male found in mid-summer (late July 2009).

Remarks. Odontophotopsis armata were too rarely encountered to determine their habitat preference. Only one O. armata male was collected in July at a light trap. Fifty-two male specimens of O. armata were found at the NTS via light trapping ( Ferguson 1967). This species can be sometimes confused with O. serca , from which it only can be separated by the presence of the clypeal tubercle. This species is discussed in further detail in Pitts et al. (2010a).

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).