Odontomutilla aurifex ( Smith, 1879 )

Lelej, Arkady S., Terine, Joshua B., Kumar, Girish P., Das, Dipanwita & Sureshan, Pavittu M., 2020, Review of the genus Odontomutilla Ashmead, 1899 (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) of the Indian subcontinent, with description of two new species, Zootaxa 4822 (2), pp. 191-208 : 193

2. Odontomutilla aurifex ( Smith, 1879)

Mutilla aurifex Smith, 1879: 198 , ♀, ♂, type locality: Bombay Presidency [ India: Maharashtra], syntypes in BMNH; Cameron 1892: 117, 136; Bingham 1897: 7, 9, 34, ♀, ♂.

? Odontomutilla aurifex: André 1902: 30 , ♀.

Odontomutilla aurifex: Lelej, 2005: 114 .

Diagnosis. FEMALE (see Smith 1879). Head ferruginous. F1 length 1.5 × F2. T3 and T4 with band of golden setae narrowly interrupted medially. T1 medially with spot of pale setae. T 2 in basal half with wide transverse band of golden setae, which is acuminated posteromedially. MALE. Head ferruginous. T 2 in basal two third with wide band of golden setae. Mesoscutellum posterad and metapostnotum medially with long (as long as mesoscutellum length) dense golden setae oriented backward.

Material examined. India: 1 ♂ [ FSCA] .

Distribution. India: Maharashtra ( Fig. 36 ).

Remark. Possibly the figure of Mutilla pulchrina Smith, 1855 in Cameron 1892 : plate 1, fig. 8 belongs to M. aurifex Smith, 1879 . Cameron (1892: 136) regarded aurifex as a variant of pulchrina . The study of male genitalia of aurifex will help to recognize the status of this species and possible synonymy with O. pulchrina ( Smith, 1855) .

Figures

FIGURE 36. Distribution map of the Indian subcontinent species of Odontomutilla Ashmead.