Dasymutilla truxali Manley & Pitts, 2007

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 : 97

Dasymutilla truxali Manley & Pitts , new species

Holotype male, Mexico, Sonora, Rio Cuchuhaqui , 7 mi S Alamos, VII-25-VIII-7-53, Fred S. Truxal [ LACM].

Diagnosis of Male (Plate C9D). This species is differentiated from others by the following combination of characters. It has the integument entirely black with the setae being predominantly yellow. The antennal scrobe is carinate dorsally. Sternum II has a long pit filled with setae that is posterior of center, and the pygidium has an apical fringe of setae. The cuspis of the genitalia is thickened and elongate ( Plate 3D ).

Description. Male: Length, 14 mm. Head. Black; mandible bidentate, acute at apex, with inner tooth about 0.2X distance from apex; clypeus slightly concave, broadly emarginate on anterior margin; scape weakly carinate; flagellomere I slightly shorter than remaining flagellomeres (at least 0.75X length); antennal scrobe weakly carinate; occipital region slightly depressed laterally; front and vertex with conspicuous yellow setae, remainder of head with black setae; head distinctly narrower than mesosoma.

Mesosoma. Black; anterior margin weakly emarginate medially, anterior face of emargination glabrous; lateral process of scutellum broad, punctate; tegula black, impunctate, clothed with black setae; pronotum, mesonotum and scutellum with conspicuous yellow setae, remainder of mesosoma with black setae; mesosoma, except metapleura, with coarse contiguous punctures.

Legs black, clothed with black setae; apices of middle and hind femora rounded, neither squarely truncate nor sulcate.

Wings infuscated.

Metasoma. Black; pygidium weakly sculptured, with apical fringe of setae; sternum I with median longitudinal carina nearly entire length of segment, not produced into tooth on either end; sternum II with pit, densely filled with setae, very slightly posterior of center; apical sternum with shallow separated punctures, except apical fourth glabrous, dentate medially; tergum I and anterior fourth of tergum II with black setae, remainder of dorsum with conspicuous yellow setae; venter with yellow setae.

Genitalia ( Plate 3D ). Paramere with apex dorsally curved, ventral margin of basal 0.75 densely pubescent, remainder with short sparse setae; cuspis cylindrical, somewhat dorsoventrally flattened, gradually tapering at apex, with thick long setae throughout, ventral base more densely setose, length about 0.75X free length of paramere, densely pubescent basal lobe present; digitus linear, tapering towards apex, slightly knoblike apically, length about 0.3X free length of paramere; penial valve bidentate, teeth separate and roughly equal in size.

Female. Unknown.

Distribution. Mexico (Sonora).

Etymology. Named in honor of Fred Truxal, who collected the holotype.

Remarks. This species is known only from the male holotype. It is distinguished by having the pit on sternum II slightly posterior in position, and by having the carina of sternum I long, nearly the entire length of the segment.

Figures

PLATE 3. Male genitalia of Dasymutilla. A. D. nocticaro. B. D. sinaloa. C. D. spiniscapula. D. D. truxali. E. D. sleipniri. F. D. veracruz. G. D. wasbaueri.