Sphaeropthalma tetracuspis Schuster

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 : 28

Sphaeropthalma tetracuspis Schuster

Sphaeropthalma (Photopsis) tetracuspis Schuster, 1958 . Ent. Amer. (n. s.) 37: 31. Male. Holotype data: San Fernando, Lower California, Mexico, 31.Jul.1938, Michelbacher and Ross (CASC).

Diagnosis of male. It can be recognized by having mandibles that are weakly excised ventrally with an indistinct basal tooth and an apex that is tetradentate and oblique ( Fig. 29 ) and is similar in shape to that of S. mendica ( Fig. 55 ), the posterior margin of the head is quadrate, the mesosternal lacks processes, the second metasomal sternite has a distinct felt line, and the pygidium is granulate. The genitalia (Fig. 63) are similar to those of S. angulifera ( Fig. 53 ) and S. mendica (Fig. 60).

Female. Unknown.

Material examined. California, Riverside Co., Deep Canyon: 2 males, 13. May.1963, 1 male, 16. May.1963, 1 male, 24.May.1963, coll. M. Irwin.

Distribution. The western Sonoran Desert into Baja California, Mexico.

Remarks. This species is in the S. unicolor species-group along with S. angulifera , S. mendica , S. pinalea , S. subtriangularis and S. unicolor .

This species is similar to S. mendica and differences in their genitalia are difficult to distinguish, although the cuspis of S. tetracuspis seems to be longer. Besides the differences in the mandibles of these two species, the clypeus of S. tetracuspis is distinctive, the posterior portion pushed forward and the anterior portion shortened. Laterally the clypeus looks curved almost in a ‘C’ shape. The clypeus of the other members of this group is flat anteriorly and gently curved posteriorly.

Figures

FIGURES 25 – 31. Head, anterior view. 25. Sphaeropthalma. megagnathos; 26. S. mendica; 27. S. pallida; 28. S. sublobata; 29. S. tetracuspis; 30. S. triangularis; and 31. S. yumaella.

FIGURES 49 – 58. Acanthophotopsis falciformis: 49. Genitalia, lateral view (from Tanner & Pitts 2009). Dilophotopsis paron: 50. Genitalia, ventral, dorsal, inner lateral view, and lateral view of penis valve; and 51. Mesosoma, oblique ventral view (from Wilson & Pitts 2008). Sphaeropthalma amphion: 52. Genitalia, dorsal, inner lateral view, and lateral view of penis valve (from Pitts et al. 2004). Sphaeropthalma angulifera: 53. Genitalia, dorsal, inner lateral view, and lateral view of penis valve (from Wilson & Pitts 2009). Mandible, anterior view: 54. Sphaeropthalma angulifera; and 55. Sphaeropthalma mendica (from Wilson & Pitts 2009). Sphaeropthalma ferruginea: 56. Genitalia, ventral view left, dorsal view right. Sphaeropthalma ignacio: 57. Genitalia, ventral view left, dorsal view right. Sphaeropthalma macswaini: 56. Genitalia, inner lateral view left.