Sphaeropthalma yumaella Schuster, 1958

Wilson, Joseph S., 2017, Nocturnal Velvet Ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) of Joshua Tree National Park, Riverside County, California with the description of three new species, Zootaxa 4319 (2), pp. 329-367 : 361

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4319.2.4
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1Ecf4C4A-09Ca-42B4-A105-67Dec7863Fe5
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6032688
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/ED726D24-FF8B-FFEA-FF5F-FECCFB3638F1
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Sphaeropthalma yumaella Schuster, 1958
status

Treatment

Sphaeropthalma (Micromutilla) yumaella Schuster, 1958 . Ent. Amer. 37: 19. ♂. Holotype data: Arizona, Yuma County, Wellton ( CUIC).

Diagnosis of male. This species is recognized by the strongly excised mandible (see Pitts et al. 2010a: Fig. 31), the lack of mesosternal processes, the marginal cell being shorter than the stigma, the first segment of the metasoma sessile with the second segment, and the genitalia with a long thick cylindrical cuspis that tapers apically and has a large basal pit on the internal margin (see Pitts et al. 2009: Fig. 6 View FIGURES 5 – 8 ).

Female. Unknown.

Material examined. Holotype data: Arizona, Yuma County, Wellton ( CUIC) . JTNP: 18–21.Jul.2012: 1 ♂ N7; 2 ♂ N5; 2 ♂ N3; 6 ♂ T; 21 ♂ S1; 9 ♂ S3; 8 ♂ S5; 5 ♂ S7; 14 ♂ S9; 8 ♂ S11; 2 ♂ S13; 14 ♂ S18. 26–28.Aug.2012: 1 ♂ N9; 1 ♂ N7; 3 ♂ N5; 9 ♂ N3; 4 ♂ N1; 5 ♂ T; 10 ♂ S1; 25 ♂ S3; 36 ♂ S5; 12 ♂ S7; 30 ♂ S9; 17 ♂ S11; 53 ♂ S13; 41 ♂ S18. 22–24.Sep.2012: 1 ♂ N9; 16 ♂ N5; 44 ♂ N3; 22 ♂ N1; 5 ♂ T; 14 ♂ S1; 43 ♂ S3; 26 ♂ S5; 47 ♂ S7; 34 ♂ S9; 25 ♂ S11; 76 ♂ S13; 96 ♂ S18. 26–28.Oct.2012: 4 ♂ S1; 4 ♂ S3; 4 ♂ S5; 13 ♂ S9; 2 ♂ S11; 1 ♂ S13; 9 ♂ S18.

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

Activity. This species is active throughout the season at JTNP.

Remarks. This species is a member of the S. brachyptera species-group, which is in desperate need of revision, and is widespread (Pitts et al. 2009). Based on mandibular and genitalic morphology, along with wing venation similarities, this species is closely related to S. brachyptera Schuster, 1958 , S. noctivaga ( Melander, 1903) , S. sublobata Schuster, 1958 , and Odontophotopsis piute Mickel, 1983 (in Mickel & Clausen, 1983). Additional taxonomic description for this species can be found in Pitts et al. (2009). This species is seemingly more abundant in the Mojave Desert ( Table 2 & 3) than elsewhere in its range (e.g. Wilson et al. 2010).