Acanthophotopsis falciformis falciformis Schuster

Pitts, James P., Wilson, Joseph S., Williams, Kevin A. & Boehme, Nicole F., 2009, Velvet ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) of the Algodones sand dunes of California, USA, Zootaxa 2131, pp. 1-53 : 7-8

Acanthophotopsis falciformis falciformis Schuster

Acanthophotopsis falciformis falciformis Schuster, 1958 . Ent. Amer. 37: 13. Male. Holotype data: Palm Springs, California, male, fall, 1932, T. Zschokke (UMSP).

Diagnosis of male. The male of this species can be recognized by the unique quadridentate mandibles. The mandibles have three apical teeth, plus a fourth tooth that projects posteriorly over the clypeus. Also, the males have the posterior margin of head behind eyes elongate, have large conical mesosternal processes, has a single spur on the mid-tibia, has genitalia with a squat paramere, and has the cuspis curled apically ( Fig. 1 ).

Female. Unknown, but possibly will be mistaken as a species of Sphaeropthalma near Sphaeropthalma blakeii as discussed above for A. dorophora .

Material examined. California, Imperial Co. : Algodones Dunes, Niland-Glamis Rd., 7.4 km NW Glamis, 1 male, 3–30.May.2008, S. Heydon and K. Lorenzen ( UCDC). Glamis, 7 mi. E, 5 males, 11–12.Apr.1973, M.S. Wasbauer ( CDFA).

Distribution. Nevada and southern Utah south into California, Arizona, and Zacatecas, Mexico.

Remarks. This species is rarely collected on the dunes, or anywhere else in its range, but is wide ranging and not limited to the Algodones Sand Dunes.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Lateral view of genitalia. 1. Acanthophotopsis falciformis; 2. Sphaeropthalma becki; 3. S. difficilis; 4. S.