Dasymutilla militaris militaris (Smith)

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 : 67

Dasymutilla militaris militaris (Smith)

Mutilla militaris Smith, 1855 . Cat. Hym. Br. Mus. 3:61. Holotype female, Jamaica (No. 15.1029) [BMNH] (examined). Male description: Mickel (1961:104).

Diagnosis of Female (Plate C6H). This species is easily recognized by its coloration, lateral armature of the mesosoma, and geographic distribution. The dorsum of the body is not concolorous, tergum II lacks yellow to orange maculae, and no red setae are present. Although the propodeum is almost bare, the apical fringes of terga II and III are predominantly pale, and may be interrupted medially with black. The mesosoma possesses three sharp tubercles along the dorsopleural line. Also, this species has the antennal scrobe strongly carinate dorsally, and a weak genal carina is present. The mesosoma is long and slender, much longer than broad. It lacks a scutellar scale. As with D. melancholica , the coarse sculpture may make it look as though a scutellar scale is present.

Diagnosis of Male. The male of this species can be differentiated from others by the following combination of characters. A key character is that the forewing is banded (with a median fuscous area). Also, the integument is entirely black, the antennal scrobe is carinate dorsally, it lacks a pit on sternum II, as well as an apical fringe of setae on the pygidium. The legs, pleura, scutellum, propodeum, the first two metasomal segments, and the apical fringe of tergum III are clothed with pale setae, while the remainder of the body is clothed with black setae. This male has a very thin apical fringe of setae on tergum I, such that the integument is not obscured.

Distribution. Jamaica.

Remarks. This subspecies, restricted to the island of Jamaica, is known from both sexes, and does not key well in either sex. The coarse sculpture of the female makes it look as though a scutellar scale is present. For this reason, the female is placed in the key in two locations. A key character for the male is the banded forewings. The male is distinguished from D. militaris nigriceps by the thin apical fringe of setae on tergum I, as well as by its distribution. The female of this subspecies is known from only seven specimens, all of which have been examined. The male of the nominate subspecies, known only from the “ allotype ” described by Mickel (1961), has not been examined.