Dasymutilla pseudopappus (Cockerell, 1895)

Williams, Kevin A., 2023, Taxonomic updates for diurnal velvet ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) in the United States of America, Zootaxa 5301 (1), pp. 105-123 : 110-112

Dasymutilla pseudopappus (Cockerell, 1895)

( Fig. 16 )

Sphaerophthalma (sic) gloriosa var. pseudopappus Cockerell, 1895: 6 , ♀.

Mutilla phaon Fox, 1899: 243 , ♁. New synonym.

Dasymutilla phaon fimbrialis Mickel, 1928: 302 , ♁.

Material examined. Dasymutilla phaon (darker form, previously called D. phaon phaon ). USA: Arizona: Coconino Co., Grand Canyon National Park, Phantom Ranch, J.E. Slansky, 2.VI.1968 (1 male, UCDC); Navajo Co., 15 mi. [24 km] NW Kayenta, H.N. Hultgren, 24.VI.1933 (1 male, CASC); California: Inyo Co. : Antelope Springs, 8 mi. [12.8 km] SW Deep Springs: W.A. Foster, 10.VII.1962 (1 male, EMUS); H.K. Court, 2.VI.1968 (1 male, UCDC); 7 mi. [11.2 km] E Big Pine, W.E. Ferguson, 19.VII.1953 (10 males, CASC); Indian Springs, Westgard Pass, W.D. McLellan, 12.VII.1983 (1 male, UCDC); Mazourka Canyon, D.D. Linsdale, 2.VII.1953 (2 males, EMUS); Nevada: Esmerelda Co., Lida Summit, R.C. Bechtel , 1.VIII.1963 (6 males, NVDA); Texas, Reeves Co., Pecos, A.T. McClay, 18.VI.1947 (1 male, UCDC). An additional 26 males from Inyo Co. , California were examined ( EMEC). Dasymutilla phaon (lighter form, previously called D. phaon fimbrialis ). MEXICO: Baja California, 0.5 mi. [0.8 km] N Hamilton Ranch Airfield, H.B. Leach, 28.IV.1963 (1 male, CASC); Sinaloa, Guaymas, E.P. van Duzee, 10.IV.1921 (1 male, CASC); USA: Arizona: Cochise Co. : Hereford, P.R. Luter, 7.VI.1958 (1 male, UCDC); Huachuca Mts, 0.5 mi. [0.8 km] W Hwy. 92; MacFarland, 1.VI.1994 (1 male, EMUS); Graham Co., Graham Mts., Marijilda Canyon, M.A. Cazier, 21.VI.1966 (1 male, ASUT); Maricopa Co., Gila Basin , 10 km S Arlington, 33°13.30’N 112°45.53’W, 6♁, leg. F.D. Parker and M.E. Irwin, 25.V.–13.VI.2010 ( EMUS); Mojave Co., Cattail Cove, 9 mi. [14.4 km] N Parker Dam, B. Apperson, 7.IV.1972 (1 male, EMUS); Yuma Co., Alamo Lake State Park, M.A. Cazier, 2.V.1970 (1 male, ASUT); 2 mi [3.2 km] NW Bouse, M.A. Cazier, 7.v.1966 (1 male, ASUT); California: Mono Co., Round Valley, G. Cushner, 10.VI.1958 (1 male, CASC); Riverside Co.: Blythe, C.D. MacNeill, 27.IV.1949 (1 male, CASC); Joshua Tree National Monument, Pleasant Valley, E.L. Sleeper, 25.V.1968 (1 male, CASC); Palm Springs, E.R. Leach, 6.V.1917 (1 male, CASC); San Bernardino Co., Clipper Valley, T. Griswold, 29.V.1983 (1 male, EMUS); San Diego Co.: Borrego Valley, Palm Canyon, R.M. Bohart, 19.IV.1957 (1 male, UCDC); Nevada: Clark Co.: Bunkerville, R.C. Bechtel, 13.VI.1965 (1 male, NVDA); 2 mi. [3.2 km] NW Cedar Basin, R.C. Bechtel, 3.VI.1981 (1 male, NVDA); 5 mi. [8 km] SW Glendale, P.F. Torchio, 2.VI.1973 (1 male, EMUS); Juanita Springs, R.C. Bechtel, 12.V.1984 (1 male, NVDA); Juanita Springs Ranch, S of Riverside, 1 male, F.D. Parker (5 males, EMUS); Las Vegas, E. Van Dyke, 24.V.1935 (1 male, CASC); Valley of Fire, G. Bohart, 27.IV.1972 (1 male, EMUS); Mineral Co., Finger Rock Wash, I. Scudder, 20.VI.1974 (1 male, CASC); Washoe Co., Pyramid Lake: D.S. Chandler, 18.VII.1971 (1 male, UCDC); R.M. Bohart, 25.VII.1973 (1 male, UCDC); R.D. Moon, 20.VI.1974 (1 male, UCDC); Utah: Washington Co.: Paradise Canyon, D. Beck, 17.VI.1983 (1 male, EMUS); Snow Canyon, W.J. Hanson, 15.VI.1983 (1 male, EMUS). An additional 21 males from California and Arizona were examined ( CASC, EMEC, EMUS). Dasymutilla pseudopappus . MEXICO: Baja California, 9 mi. [14.4 km] S San Matias Ps., E.L. Sleeper, 6.VI.1961 (1 female, CASC); Baja California Sur: 7 mi. [11.2 km] N Arrasitras, E.L. Sleeper, 8.VI.1962 (1 female, CASC); 7.5 mi [12 km] W El Triunfo, E.L. Sleeper, 11.X.1968 (2 females, CASC); Sinaloa, Choix, T.A. Sears, 24.VII.1969 (1 female, UCDC); Sonora: Alamos, 15.IX.1933 (1 female, UCDC); 22.5 mi. [36 km] S San Louis, 4–5.VI.1949 (3 females, CASC); USA: Arizona: Cochise Co. : Sierra Vista, R. Wielgus, 13.VI.1984 (1 female, ASUT); Ramsey Canyon, Huachuca Mts., R.F. Sternitzky, 11–15.III.1964 (2 females, PMNH); Tombstone, A. Petrunkevitch, VII.1933 (1 female, PMNH); Coconino Co., Hooserock, J. Carned, 6.IX.1964 (1 female, EMUS); Maricopa Co., Brushy Basin, D. Gavin , 1.X.1978 (1 female, ASUT); Pima Co., Baboquivari Mountains, O.C. Poling , 1.VII–18.VIII.1924 (3 females, CASC); Tortolita Mt., Owl’s Head, L. Koenia, 1.XI.1950 (1 female, PMNH); Yavapai Co., Mayer, E.R. Leach, 19.VII–12.VIII.1938 (2 females, CASC); Yuma Co., Yuma, J.D. Carlson, II.1910 (1 female, CASC); California: Inyo Co. : Inyo Mts., Lead Canyon, D. Howell, VIII.1980 (1 female, CASC); Westgard Pass, C.D. MacNeill, 26.VII.1962 (1 female, CASC); Riverside Co.: near Blythe, H.W. Beavis, 28.IV.1939 (1 female, CASC); 7 mi. [11.2 km] NE Blythe, Mayflower Park, K.A. Williams, 24.VI.2004 (1 female, EMUS); Joshua Tree National Monument: Lower Covington Flat, E.L. Sleeper, 20.IX.1970 (1 female, CASC); Pleasant Valley: E.L. Sleeper: various dates (4 females, CASC); Squaw Track, E.L. Sleeper, 20.V.1962 (1 female, CASC); Thousand Palms Canyon, R.M. Bohart, 9.IV.1964 (1 female, UCDC); San Bernardino Co., Victorville, H. Hansen, 1.VI.1952 (1 female, EMUS); San Diego Co.: 6 mi. [9.6 km] E Banner, L.H. Pojogen, 26.VI.1963 (1 female, UCDC); 8 mi. [12.8 km] N Borrego Spring, E.L. Sleeper, 9.V.1969 (1 female, CASC); Colorado, Dolores Co., Dove Creek, O. Fleming, 30.VII.2009 (1 female, EMUS); Nevada: Nye Co., Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge: various dates and collectors (8 females, EMUS); Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park, 19.IX.1964 (1 female, CASC); New Mexico, Rio Arriba Co., Puye Cliff Ruin, C.L. Remington , 17.VIII.1961 (1 female, PMNH); Texas: Brewster Co., Big Bend National Park, Chisos Mountains, C.R. Nelson, 21.V.1993 (1 female, EMUS); Utah: San Juan Co., Hovenweep National Monument , T. Rado, VII.1974 (1 female, EMUS) ; Washington Co.: Middleton, G.F. Knowlton, 26.VI.1933 (1 female, EMUS) ; Paradise, Snow Canyon, D. Beck, 1.IX.1963 (1 female, EMUS) ; Warner Valley, near St. George , leg. J.S. Wilson, 25–30.VIII.2010 (1 female, EMUS) . Forty additional females of D. pseudopappus were also examined ( CSCA, EMUS, UMSP) .

Distribution. Mexico (Baja California, Baja California Sur, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Sonora and Zacatecas) and USA (Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and Utah).

Remarks. Females of D. pseudopappus are commonly misidentified as D. gloriosa . Mickel (1928, 1936) used three characters to separate D. pseudopappus from D. gloriosa in his keys. Dasymutilla pseudopappus was stated to have: the pygidium prominently longitudinally striate, the body and leg color blackish and the gena bounded by an obscure carina. Dasymutilla gloriosa , on the other hand, was stated to have: the pygidium irregularly rugose, the body and legs red and the gena rounded posteriorly. The pygidium of D. gloriosa varies from being irregularly rugose to rugo-striate (many of the rugae are parallel and longitudinally oriented). Both D. pseudopappus and D. gloriosa have the integumental color varying from pale red to black. The genal carina of D. pseudopappus is typically obscured by dense white setae; also, this carina can be so weakly produced that it is interrupted by the surrounding genal punctures.

After observing over 700 females of D. gloriosa and about 100 D. pseudopappus females, the following traits appear to consistently separate these taxa. First, the pygidium of D. pseudopappus has separated and raised parallel striae in the basal half at least ( Fig. 16 ); D. gloriosa has the pygidial striations or rugae tightly spaced and equally raised throughout the pygidial plate ( Fig. 15 ). Second, D. pseudopappus has the mesosoma armed with a narrow raised scutellar scale, if any transverse carinae are present anterior to the scale, they are obscured by setae and much lower than the scutellar scale; D. gloriosa has a broader flatter scutellar scale that is accompanied by one thick transverse carina directly anterior to the scale and two thick transverse carinae situated anterolaterally of the scale, these transverse carinae are equal in height to the scutellar scale and typically visible through the mesosomal setae.

Morphological similarity to D. flammifera assisted us in associating the sexes of D. pseudopappus . Females of these species have similar scutellar and pygidial morphology, while males are seemingly identical except for differences in the genitalia, antennal flagellomere lengths and the S1 carina ( Manley et al. 2020). Furthermore, among the species known from only one sex, D. phaon is the most widespread male, while D. pseudopappus is the most widespread female; these distributions overlap broadly. For these reasons, D. phaon is recognized as a junior synonym of D. pseudopappus .

Manley et al. (2020) synonymized the formerly separated subspecies D. phaon phaon and D. phaon fimbrialis , which are here recognized as the males of D. pseudopappus . These newly associated males of D. pseudopappus are nearly as variable in color as those of D. gloriosa . These males are usually easy to identify ( Manley et al. 2020), but some can be confused with D. gorgon . Males of D. pseudopappus have S2 evenly convex and the genitalic cuspis roughly half the free paramere length, while D. gorgon has S2 flattened mesally and its cuspis over two-thirds the free paramere length.

Figures

FIGURES 11–16. Dasymutilla gloriosa (Saussure, 1868) and D. pseudopappus (Cockerell, 1895). 11–14. D. gloriosa, lateral habitus, male. 15, 16. Pygidial plate illustration, female. 11. Inyo County, California; head and mesosoma setae entirely black, formerly D. chisos Mickel, 1928. 12. Kern County, California; head and mesosoma setae mostly black, mesoscutellum with orange setae. 13. San Bernardino County, California; head setae black, mesosoma setae orange dorsally. 14. Sonora, Mexico; head and mesosoma with orange dorsal setae. 15. D. gloriosa. 16. D. pseudopappus.