Odontophotopsis serca Viereck, 1904

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 : 23

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.3587.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:91FCB387-5D4F-4F12-ABDC-B06D7F60A271
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5627534
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/038187E5-161E-FFBF-FF09-EE27FA20F90C
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Odontophotopsis serca Viereck, 1904
status

Treatment

( Figs 8 View FIGURES 2 – 11 , 16)

Odontophotopsis sercus Viereck, 1904: 87 ,

3. Holotype: Mexico, Lower California (ANSP).

Diagnosis. MALE. This species can be recognized by the lack of a clypeal tubercle, by having deeply excised mandibles with a vertical apex ( Fig. 8 View FIGURES 2 – 11 ), by having simple but prominent mesosternal processes, and by lacking a sternal felt line. Genitalia are illustrated in Fig. 16. FEMALE. Unknown.

Material examined. Type material. Holotype of O. sercus : Mexico, Lower California, type no. 4979 ( ANSP). Other material. Nevada, Nye Co., AMNWR: Non-dune site 1: 1 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, NFB ; Non-dune site 2: 1 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 5 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 5 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 6 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 2 ♂, LT, 16–18.X.2009, NFB ; Non-dune site 3: 1 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 2 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, NFB ; Non-dune site 4: 1 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, NFB ; Sand dune site 4: 1 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, NFB ; Non-dune site 5: 4 ♂, LT, 13.VI.2008, NFB & DAT, 1 ♂, LT, 4–6.IX.2009, NFB .

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

Activity. Males were active throughout the summer and into mid-autumn (June through mid-October).

Remarks. Odontophotopsis serca were collected significantly more often in non-sand dune habitats than in sand dune habitats (U=24, p=0.02). Thirty-seven O. serca males were collected from May through October at light traps. Sixteen O. microdonta males were found at the NTS via light and mammal traps ( Ferguson 1967).

Odontophotopsis serca unlike O. armata lacks a felt line on the second metasomal sternite and can be easily confused with this species. The clypeal tubercle, however, is distinct in O. armata . This species, along with O. melicausa , has a tendency to develop a slight secondary mesosternal tubercle posterior to the primary one. Sometimes this can be unilateral ( Ferguson 1967). The taxonomy is discussed in more detail in Pitts et al. (2009).