Sphaeropthalma triangularis ( 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 : 37-38

Sphaeropthalma triangularis ( Blake, 1871)

Agama triangularis Blake, 1871: 262 ,

3. Holotype: Nevada (ANSP).

Diagnosis. MALE. The male of this species is easily recognized by the lobe-like projections on the hind coxae. Other useful characters include the triangular shaped posterior margin of the head, the weakly excised mandible (see Pitts et al. 2009: Fig. 40), the lack of mesosternal processes, and the unique triangulate posterior projection of the apex of the hind tibia. Genitalia are illustrated by Pitts et al. (2009: Fig. 26). FEMALE. The female of this species has the following combination characters: the dorsum of the body is covered with sparse erect brachyplumose setae, but the integument is not obscured; the ventral margin of the mandible has a slight excision, but lacks a long erect tooth at the termination of the dorsal carina; the head below eyes is parallel; the head evenly rounded in lateral view; the first metasomal segment is sessile with the second segment; and the pygidium is longitudinally striate.

Material examined. Type material. Holotype of A. triangularis : Nevada ( ANSP) . Other material. Nevada, Nye Co., AMNWR: Non-dune site 1: 1 ♂, LT, 1 ♂, MT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 1 ♀, PT, 10.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 1 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 4–6.IX.2009, NFB ; Non-dune site 2: 9 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 7 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 8 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 6 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 7 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, NFB ; Non-dune site 3: 1 ♂, LT, 12–14.V.2009, 5 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 4–6.VIII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 1 ♂, PT, 4.IX.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, NFB ; Non-dune site 4: 2 ♂, LT, 12–14.V.2009, 5 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 1 ♀, PT, 13 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 18 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 1 ♀, 1 ♂, PT, 3 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 7 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 4–6.VIII.2009, 5 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, NFB ; Sand dune site 1: 1 ♀, 2 ♂, PT, 5.VIII.2008, NFB, 1 ♀, 1 ♂, PT, 19.XII.2008, NFB & SDB, 1 ♀, PT, 3 ♂, LT, 12–14.V.2009, 16 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 5 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 5 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 13 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 3 ♂, PT, 4–6.VIII.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 2 ♂, LT, 4–6.IX.2009, NFB ; Sand dune site 2: 1 ♀, PT, 9.VII.2008, 1 ♀, PT, 22.VII.2008, NFB & DAT, 1 ♀, PT, 1 ♂, LT, 12–14.V.2009, 7 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 1 ♀, PT, 10.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 1 ♀, PT, 2 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 8 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 4 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 4 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, NFB ; Sand dune site 3: 1 ♀, PT, 17–18.X.2008, NFB & SDB, 10 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 1 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 6 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 4 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 5 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 2 ♂, LT, 4–6.VIII.2009, 4 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 4–6.IX.2009, 4 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, NFB ; Sand dune site 4: 2 ♂, PT, 9.VII.2008, 1 ♀, PT, 22.VII.2008, NFB & DAT, 1 ♀, 4 ♂, PT, 5–6.VIII.2008, 1 ♀, LT, 13.V.2009, 2 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB 2 ♀, PT, 23 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 10 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 2 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 23 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 2 ♂, LT, 4–6.VIII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 2 ♂, LT, 4–6.IX.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, NFB ; Sand dune site 5: 2 ♀, PT, 5 ♂, LT, 24–26.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & JPP, 2 ♂, LT, 10.VII.2008, 8 ♂, LT, 24.VII.2008, NFB & DAT, 1 ♀, PT, 5.VIII.2008, 1 ♀, PT, 6 ♂, LT, 12–14.V.2009, 2 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 2 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 1 ♀, PT, 7.VII.2009, 12 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 4–6.VIII.2009, 6 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, NFB, 1 ♀, PT, 30.X.2009, NFB & SDB ; Non-dune site 5: 1 ♂, LT, 13.VI.2008, 2 ♀, PT, 3 ♂, LT, 22–23.VII.2008, NFB & DAT, 1 ♀, 1 ♂, PT, 2–3.IX.2008, 9 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 3 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 2 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 5 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 4–6.VIII.2009, 2 ♂, LT, 4–6.IX.2009, 2 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, NFB ; Copeland site: 1 ♂, LT, 13.VI.2008, 6 ♂, LT, 14.V.2008, 4 ♂, LT, 30.V.2008, NFB & DAT, 2 ♀, LT, 26.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & JPP, 1 ♀, 1 ♂, PT, 22.VII.2008, NFB & DAT, 1 ♀, 4 ♂, PT, 5.VIII.2008, NFB ; Spring meadows site: 1 ♀, PT, 26.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & JPP, 3 ♀, PT, 9.VII.2008, NFB & DAT, 1 ♀, PT, 5.VIII.2008, NFB ; Mesquite site 2: 1 ♀, PT, 2–3.IX.2008, NFB ; Mesquite site 3: 1 ♀, PT, 17–18.X.2008, NFB & SDB ; Wash site: 1 ♂, LT, 30.V.2008, NFB & DAT.

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

Activity. Males were active from mid-spring through late summer (May though early September). Females were collected from spring through mid-autumn (late June through October in 2008 and May through July, and October 2009).

Remarks. Sphaeropthalma triangularis were distributed uniformly over sand dune and non-dune habitats (U=18, p>0.2). Thirty-seven female and 395 male S. triangularis were collected throughout the course of this study. The females were collected from May through December via light and pitfall trapping, and males were collected from May through September via light, pitfall and malaise trapping. Sphaeropthalma triangularis was not found at the NTS.