Sphaeropthalma macswaini Ferguson, 1967

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 : 354-355

Sphaeropthalma macswaini Ferguson, 1967

Sphaeropthalma (Micromutilla) macswaini Ferguson, 1967 . Brigham Young Univ. Sci. Bul., Biol. Ser. 8, no. 4: 12. ♂. Holotype data: Nevada, Nye County, 2.1 mi NE Mercury ( NMNH).

Diagnosis of male. This species has distinctive tridentate mandibles that are deeply excised ventrally and the apex is vertical and greatly dilated, which is similar to species of Acrophotopsis and Dilophotopsis , but more so than other species at Deep Canyon (see Pitts et al. 2010a: Fig. 24). Additionally, the clypeus is distinctly elongate and projects anteriorly and the genitalia have a distinctively shaped curved cuspis that bears a large seta filled pit (see Pitts et al. 2010a: Fig. 58). This species sometimes has weak mesosternal processes located anteromedially.

Female. Unknown.

Material examined. Holotype data: Nevada, Nye County, 2.1 mi NE Mercury, 24 August 1964, W.E. Ferguson ( NMNH) . JTNP: 18–21.Jul.2012: 1 ♂ N1; 27 ♂ T. 26–28.Aug.2012: 2 ♂ N1; 5 ♂ T; 8 ♂ S1. 22– 24.Sep.2012: 2 ♂ S1.

Distribution. USA (Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah)

Activity. This species is seemingly active throughout the season but is somewhat rare at JTNP.

Remarks. The clypeus of this species is diagnostic (Pitts et al. 2010a). However, it is elongate and the extreme apex overlies the greatly dilated and deeply excised mandibles, but does not obscure them. Additional taxonomy for this species is presented by Pitts et al. (2010a). This species is in the S. difficilis species-group ( Pitts & Sadler 2015) and it seems to be more abundant in the southern extent of the Mojave ( Table 2 & 3) and into the Sonoran Desert (e.g. Pitts et al. 2010a; Wilson et al. 2010). For this study, it was collected only around the transition zone.