Odontophotopsis melicausa ( Blake, 1871 )

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 : 20-21

Odontophotopsis melicausa ( Blake, 1871)

Agama melicausa Blake, 1871: 261 ,

3. Holotype: Texas (ANSP).

Mutilla brevicornis Fox, 1899: 255 ,

3. Lectotype (designated here): Texas (ANSP). Odontophotopsis mellicornis Baker, 1905: 96 ,

3. Holotype: Nevada, Ormsby County (CUIC).

Diagnosis. MALE. This species has a head that is quadrate posteriorly, deeply excised mandibles that are distinctly dilated apically (see Pitts et al. 2009: Fig. 33), lacks a tubercle situated posteromedially on the clypeus, has a pair of denticulate mesosternal processes, and has a shiny glabrous pygidium. Genitalia are illustrated by Pitts et al. (2009: Fig. 13). FEMALE. The female of this species can be diagnosed by having dense appressed setae on the dorsum that obscures the integumental sculpture and are distinctly plumose at the base of the setal shaft becoming simple apically. Also the ventral margin of the mandible is excised and has a rounded tooth, flagellomere 1 is longer than flagellomere 2, the lateral margins of the posterior half of the mesosoma are parallel in dorsal view, the first segment of the metasoma is petiolate with the second, the second metasomal segment is of normal length being ~1 × as long as anterior width or just slightly greater, and the pygidium is strongly striate.

Material examined. Type material. Holotypes: A. melicausa : Texas, Belfrage ( ANSP) ; O. mellicornis : Nevada, Ormsby County, ( CUIC) . Lectotype of M. brevicornis : Texas, Type no. 4681 ( ANSP) . Other material. Nevada, Nye Co., AMNWR: Non-dune site 1: 1 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 1 ♀, PT, 1 ♂, LT, 4–6.IX.2009, 17 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, NFB ; Non-dune site 2: 1 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 1 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 6 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 6 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 9 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 5 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, NFB ; Non-dune site 3: 10 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, 1 ♂, PT, 3.X.2009, NFB ; Non-dune site 4: 3 ♀, PT, 26.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & JPP, 2 ♀, PT, 9. VII.2008, 3 ♀, PT, 22.VII.2008, NFB & DAT, 3 ♀, PT, 2–3.IX.2008, NFB, 1 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 2 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 12 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 5 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 4–6.VIII.2009, 8 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 2 ♂, LT, 4–6.IX.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, 1 ♂, PT, 3.X.2009, NFB ; Sand dune site 1: 4 ♀, PT, 26.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & JPP, 3 ♀, PT, 5.VIII.2008, NFB, 1 ♀, PT, 17–18.X.2008, NFB & SDB, 2 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 1 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 8 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 10 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 18 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 7 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 4–6.IX.2009, 7 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, NFB ; Sand dune site 2: 5 ♀, PT, 26.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & JPP, 3 ♀, PT, 9. VII.2008, 2 ♀, PT, 22.VII.2008, NFB & DAT, 1 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 23 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 4–6.VIII.2009, 10 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 6 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 1 ♂, PT, 2–4.X.2009, NFB ; Sand dune site 3: 5 ♀, PT, 26.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & JPP, 2 ♀, PT, 22.VII.2008, NFB & DAT, 3 ♀, PT, 2–3.IX.2008, NFB, 4 ♀, 1 ♂, PT, 17–18.X.2008, NFB & SDB, 1 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, 4 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 26 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 13 ♂, LT, 4–6.VIII.2009, 5 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 3 ♂, PT, 4. IX.2009, 6 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 16–17.X.2009, NFB ; Sand dune site 4: 20 ♂, LT, 9.VI.2008, NFB & DAT, 1 ♀, PT, 26.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & JPP, 5 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 18 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 54 ♂, LT, 2 ♂, MT, 6–9.VII.2009, 45 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 1 ♂, PT, 6. VIII.2009, 5 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 1 ♂, PT, 4–6.IX.2009, 17 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 16–18.X.2009, NFB ; Sand dune site 5: 1 ♀, PT, 12 ♂, LT, 24–26.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & JPP, 6 ♂, LT, 10. VII.2008, 2 ♂, LT, 24.VII.2008, NFB & DAT, 1 ♀, 1 ♂, PT, 5–6.VIII.2008, 1 ♀, 1 ♂, PT, 2–3.IX.2008, NFB, 1 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 2 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 26 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 4–6.VIII.2009, 12 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 4 ♂, PT, 4–6.IX.2009, NFB ; Non-dune site 5: 2 ♂, LT, 13.VI.2008, NFB & DAT, 2 ♀, PT, 26.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & JPP, 9 ♀, PT, 22.VII.2008, NFB & DAT, 1 ♀, PT, 5.VIII.2008, NFB, 9 ♀, PT, 17–18.X.2008, NFB & SDB, 1 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 20 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 19 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 1 ♂, PT, 6. VIII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 4–6.IX.2009, 5 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, NFB ; Copeland site: 1 ♂, LT, 14.V.2008, NFB & DAT, 1 ♂, LT, 30.V.2008, NFB & DAT, 3 ♂, LT, 13.VI.2008, NFB & DAT, 2 ♀, 1 ♂, PT, 24–26.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & JPP, 2 ♀, PT, 22.VII.2008, NFB & DAT, 2 ♀, PT, 5.VIII.2008, NFB ; Spring meadows site: 7 ♀, PT, 26.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & JPP, 1 ♀, PT, 9. VII.2008, 2 ♀, PT, 22.VII.2008, NFB & DAT, 2 ♀, PT, 5. VIII.2008, 1 ♀, PT, 2–3.IX.2008, NFB ; Mesquite site 1: 6 ♀, PT, 26.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & JPP, 3 ♀, PT, 9. VII.2008, 2 ♀, PT, 22.VII.2008, NFB & DAT, 1 ♀, PT, 5. VIII.2008, 3 ♀, PT, 2–3.IX.2008, NFB, 3 ♀, PT, 17–18.X.2008, NFB & SDB ; Mesquite site 2: 10 ♀, PT, 26.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & SDB, 3 ♀, PT, 9. VII.2008, 4 ♀, PT, 22.VII.2008, NFB & DAT, 2 ♀, PT, 5. VIII.2008, 1 ♀, 1 ♂, PT, 2–3.IX.2008, NFB, 6 ♀, 3 ♂, PT, 17–18.X.2008, NFB & SDB ; Mesquite site 3: 7 ♀, PT, 26.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & JPP, 2 ♀, PT, 9. VII.2008, 3 ♀, PT, 22.VII.2008, NFB & DAT, 2 ♀, PT, 5. VIII.2008, 11 ♀, PT, 2–3.IX.2008, NFB, 9 ♀, 3 ♂, PT, 17–18.X.2008, NFB & SDB.

Distribution. USA (Arizona, California, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and Utah), Mexico, Canada (British Colombia).

Activity. Males were active from late spring through mid-autumn (late May through mid-October). Females were collected throughout the summer (late June through October 2008 and September 2009).

Remarks. Odontophotopsis melicausa were collected significantly more often in sand dune habitats than in non-sand dune habitats (U=23, p=0.05). This is an interesting result given that this species is commonly found throughout the Southwest as far east as Arkansas and as far north as Canada. Presumably, it is not restricted to dunes in these other areas.

Five hundred eighty-eight male and one hundred sixty-six female O. melicausa were collected throughout the course of this study. Males were collected from May through October at light traps and females were collected from June through October in pitfall traps. Thirty-two O. melicausa males were found at the NTS ( Ferguson 1967). The taxonomy of this species is discussed in further detail in Pitts et al. (2009).

For this study we have designated a lectotype from the available syntypes. The lectotype was selected based on the quality of the specimen. The label data are as follows [TEX.] [Type no. 4681] [ M. brevicornis Fox ] [ Odontophotopsis (Odontophotopsis) melicausa ssp. melicausa (Blake) ♂ Det. C.E. Mickel 1975]. The genitalia are extruded and clearly visible.