Dasymutilla proclea (Cameron)

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 : 82

Dasymutilla proclea (Cameron)

Sphaerophthalma [ sic.] proclea Cameron, 1895 . Biol. Cent.-Amer., Hym. 2:350. Holotype female, Mexico, Temax, N. Yucatan (Gaumer) (No. 15.842) [BMNH] (examined).

Sphaerophthalma [ sic.] cobira Cameron, 1895 . Biol. Cent.-Amer., Hym. 2:351. Holotype female, Mexico, N. Yucatan (Gaumer) (No. 15.818) [BMNH] (examined). NEW SYNONYM.

Diagnosis of Female (Plate C7N). This species can be diagnosed by the following combination of characters, including coloration. It has the antennal scrobe carinate dorsally. The gena is also distinctly carinate. The mesosoma appears to be longer than broad. However, if measured at the broadest point, it is just as broad as long. It lacks a scutellar scale. Sternum II is merely punctate, not at all scabrous. The head, and a conspicuous “V” - shaped pattern on the dorsum of the mesosoma, are clothed with silver setae. Red setae are absent; only contrasting silver and black setae are present. The apical fringe of tergum I is black. Tergum II has four orange maculae.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution. Mexico (Campeche, Yucatan).

Remarks. The holotypes for both D. proclea and D. cobira have been studied and, although they vary slightly, they are obviously the same species. This species is known only from the female and, much like D. munifica , it keys poorly because the mesosoma is just as broad as long. For that reason, it is placed in the key in two locations. This species is known only from about a half dozen specimens, including the type specimens. All known specimens have been examined.