Sphaeropthalma uro ( Blake, 1879 )

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 : 38-39

Sphaeropthalma uro ( Blake, 1879)

( Fig. 21)

Agama uro Blake, 1879: 253 ,

3. Lectotype (designated here): Texas ( ANSP).

Photopsis melanderi Baker, 1905: 112 ,

3. Holotype: Texas, Coryell Co. ( CUIC).

Sphaeropthalma (Photopsioides) uro stenognatha Schuster, 1958: 38 ,

3. Holotype: Arizona, St. Carlos ( UMSP).

Diagnosis. MALE. The male of this species can be recognized by the mandible, which is slightly to very broadly dilated apically, has a sharp dorsal carina that is blade-like to apex of mandible such that the mandible vertical throughout, but has a weak ventral emargination and tooth ( Fig. 21). Also, the clypeus strongly depressed, anterior margin hidden below dorsal mandibular rims, the head is quadrate posteriorly, the marginal cell is 0.75-1.0 × the length of the stigma, S2 lacks a felt line and the cuspis of the genitalia are broadly spatulate and bear plumose setae ( Pitts et al. 2004: Figs 19-21). FEMALE. The female of this species can be recognized by the following characters: the dorsum lacks dense appressed setae that obscures the integumental sculpture, the first segment of the metasoma is sessile with the second segment, the antennal scrobes have dorsal carinae, the mandible has a slightly developed ventral basal tooth and lacks a dorsal tooth at the termination of the dorsal carina, flagellomere 1 is almost 2 × as long as the pedicel, the legs are concolorous with mesosoma or at most slightly infuscated or lighter than mesosoma, the propodeum length in lateral view is subequal to 0.5 × maximum height, the metasomal segments have sparse plumose pubescence apically and the apical metasomal segments are concolorous with basal metasomal segments, T2 is coarsely punctate throughout with the interstitial distance less than a puncture width and the pygidium is undefined laterally by carinae.

Material examined. Type material. Lectotype of A. uro : Texas, Type no. 4547 ( ANSP) . Holotypes: Ph. melanderi: Texas, Coryell Co., Birkman ( CUIC) . S. uro stenognatha : Arizona, St. Carlos, 27 August 1935, F.H. Parker ( UMSP) . Other material. Nevada, Nye Co., AMNWR: Non-dune site 1: 2 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, 7 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 7 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, 5 ♂, LT, 16–18.X.2009, NFB ; Non-dune site 2: 4 ♂, LT, 12–14.V.2009, 4 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 6 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 3 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 7 ♂, PT, 21–23.VII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 4–6.VIII.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, NFB ; Non-dune site 3: 2 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 1 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 5 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, NFB ; Non-dune site 4: 6 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 4 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 6 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 16–17.X.2009, NFB ; Sand dune site 1: 1 ♀, PT, 19.XII.2008, NFB & SDB, 4 ♂, LT, 12–14.V.2009, 26 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 3 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 3 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 10 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 4 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 4–6.IX.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, 4 ♂, LT, 16–18.X.2009, NFB ; Sand dune site 2: 2 ♂, LT, 15.V.2008, NFB & DAT, 7 ♂, LT, 12–14.V.2009, 13 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 3 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 1 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 11 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 4 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, NFB ; Sand dune site 3: 1 ♂, LT, 1 ♂, MT, 17–18.IV.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 12–14.V.2009, 10 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, 8 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 15 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 4–6.VIII.2009, 2 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 15 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 16–17.X.2009, NFB, 1 ♀, PT, 17.XII.2009, NFB & TB Frank ; Sand dune site 4: 4 ♂, LT, 9.VI.2008, NFB & DAT, 1 ♀, PT, 2 ♂, LT, 12–14.V.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 45 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 12 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 1 ♀, MT, 6–9.VII.2009, 18 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 8 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, 7 ♂, LT, 16–18.X.2009, NFB ; Sand dune site 5: 1 ♂, LT, 18.IV.2008, NFB & DAT, 1 ♂, LT, 24.VI.2008, NFB & DAT, 3 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 10 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, NFB ; Nondune site 5: 1 ♂, LT, 13.VI.2008, NFB & DAT, 1 ♂, PT, 17–18.X.2008, NFB & SDB, 11 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 3 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 4 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 4–6.IX.2009, 2 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, NFB ; Copeland site: 2 ♂, LT, 5.V.2008, DAT, 2 ♂, LT, 14.V.2008, NFB & DAT ; Spring meadows site: 1 ♂, PT, 2.IX.2008, NFB ; Mesquite site 1: 1 ♂, PT, 2.IX.2008, NFB ; Wash site: 1 ♂, LT, 30.V.2008, NFB & DAT.

Distribution. USA (Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, Nevada, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas and Utah).

Activity. Males were active from early spring through mid-autumn (mid-April through October). Females were collected year round (One in Dec. 0 8, one in May 0 9, one in July 0 9, one in Dec. 09).

Remarks. Sphaeropthalma uro were distributed uniformly over sand dune and non-dune habitats (U=21, p=0.1). Four female and 393 male S. uro were collected throughout the course of this study. The females were collected in May, July and December via pitfall and malaise trapping, and males were collected from April through October via pitfall, malaise and light trapping. Sphaeropthalma uro was not found at the NTS.

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 [Tex.] [Type no. 4547] [ uro ]. The genitalia are extruded and clearly visible.