Dasymutilla azteca (Blake)

MANLEY, DONALD G. & PITTS, JAMES P., 2007, Tropical and Subtropical Velvet Ants of the Genus Dasymutilla Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) with Descriptions of 45 New Species, Zootaxa 1487 (1), pp. 1-128 : 27-28

Dasymutilla azteca (Blake)

Mutilla (Sphaeropthalma) azteca Blake, 1871 . Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc. 3:240. Holotype male, Mexico (No. 4508) [ANSP] (examined).

Diagnosis of Male ( Plate C1N ). This species can be separated from other species by coloration: the forewing is banded, the integument is entirely black, setae on the vertex, pronotum, legs, anterior half and apical fringe of tergum II, and terga III to V entirely, are appressed and silver, while the remainder of the body is clothed with black setae. Some specimens may have the vertex, and sometimes even the pronotum, clothed with golden setae. Also, the antennal scrobe of this species is weakly carinate dorsally, sternum II lacks a median pit filled with setae, and the pygidium lacks an apical fringe of setae.

Female. Unknown.

Distribution. Mexico (Campeche); Costa Rica (Guanacaste).

Remarks. This species has been found in extreme southern Mexico and in Costa Rica (Guanacaste). It seems likely that it also will be found between these two countries. Approximately 50 specimens of this species have been examined.

Figures

PLATE 1. Male genitalia of Dasymutilla. A. D. atrata. B. D. baylegi. C. D. bimaculata. D. D. boharti. E. D. brazilia. F. D. chamela. G. D. chillcotti. H. D. fimbriata. I. D. guanacaste.