Sphaeropthalma arnalduri Pitts

Pitts, James P., Wilson, Joseph S., Williams, Kevin A. & Boehme, Nicole F., 2010, Nocturnal velvet ant males (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) of Deep Canyon, California including four new species and a fifth new species from Owens Lake Valley, California, Zootaxa 2553, pp. 1-34 : 31-32

Sphaeropthalma arnalduri Pitts , NEW SPECIES

Diagnosis of male. The male of this species can be recognized by the clypeus, which is thickened and upturned apically ( Figs 34, 35 ), by the genitalic characters (Fig. 63) that it shares only with S. fergusoni , sp. nov., and fact that it is apterous ( Fig. 36, 37 ). Apterous in this case includes complete fusion of the mesosoma ( Fig. 36 ), except for the pronotum, such that scutellum is unrecognizable and the tegulae are absent.

Description of male. Coloration ( Figs 34–37 ). Body testaceous; flagellum and legs slightly lighter than the body. Body clothed with sparse, erect, brachyplumose, whitish-orange-brown setae. T1 with sparse plumose fringe at distal margin. T2 and S2 with sparse fringe of whitish plumose setae. T3–5 and S3–5 each without conspicuous fringe of whitish plumose setae.

Head. Head distinctly quadrate and elongate posteriorly ( Fig. 34 ). Mandible tridentate ( Fig. 35 ), with very weak angulate ventral tooth, lacking excision apical to ventral tooth; dorsal carina incomplete, appearing on slightly lamellate; apex oblique; mandible parallel beyond excision in frontal view. Clypeus not depressed below margin of mandible, median area concave; surface of clypeus polished, almost impunctate, with few erect setae; apex truncate, greatly thickened and dorsally bent ( Figs 34, 35 ). F1 approximately 0.75X length of F2. Ocelli miniscule in size ( Fig. 34 ), ocellocular distance approximately 4X or greater than greatest width of lateral ocellus. Head coarsely punctate.

Mesosoma . Mesothorax, metathorax and propodeum fused ( Fig. 36 ). Dorsum of mesosoma coarsely punctate ( Fig. 36 ), Notaulus absent. Scutellum and axillae indiscernible ( Fig. 36 ). Dorsum of propodeal area coarsely punctate becoming conspicuously, shallow reticulate, reticulations extending on to sides of propodeum posteriorly. Anterolateral area of mesopleuron with moderate, shallow, separated punctures; remainder of mesopleuron with deeper, contiguous to confluent punctures; interstitial areas glabrous. Metapleuron polished. Mesosternal processes absent. Metasternum bidentate. Mid femur not swollen. Apterous ( Figs 36, 37 ).

Metasoma. First metasomal segment sessile ( Fig. 37 ). Pygidium quadrate, polished, not strongly margined; S2 with sternal felt line 0.3–0.5X length of tergal felt line. Hypopygium quadrate. Genitalia (Fig. 65) with paramere acicular, only extreme apex curving dorsally; cuspis elongate,>0.9X free length of paramere, and cylindrical basally, dorsal face with central longitudinal swelling, apex spatulate, ventral face slightly concave, with basal pit, inner margin with deep ventral notch anterior to spatulate area.

Length. 10–14.5 mm.

Female. Unknown.

Material examined. Holotype: California, Inyo Co., Owens Lake Valley , mid May–mid June, coll. Andrews and Hardy ( CDFA). Paratypes: California, Inyo Co., Owens Lake Valley : 3 males, mid May–mid June, coll. Andrews, Hardy and Giuliani; 5 males, Jun–Jul, coll. Andrews, Hardy and Giuliani; 3 males, mid Jul–mid Aug, coll. Andrews, Hardy and Giuliani ( CDFA; EMUS).

Distribution. Known only from Owens Lake Valley.

Etymology. Named after Arnaldur Indriðason (1961 to present) who is an Icelandic writer of crime fiction and is currently best known for his detective novels involving Detective Erlender Sveinsson.

Remarks. This species belongs in the new S. fergusoni species-group (described above), which also includes S. fergusoni , sp. nov., described earlier in this paper. The defining characteristics of this speciesgroup are given in the remarks section for S. fergusoni .

Figures

FIGURES 32 – 37. Odontophotopsis hammetti, sp. nov.: 32. Head, anterior view; and 33. Habitus. Sphaeropthalma arnalduri, sp. nov.: 34. Head, dorsal view; 35. Head oblique lateral view; 36. Mesosoma, lateral view; and 37. Habitus.