Photomorphus schoenwerthi Sadler & Pitts, 2017

Wilson, Joseph S., 2017, Nocturnal Velvet Ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) of Joshua Tree National Park, Riverside County, California with the description of three new species, Zootaxa 4319 (2), pp. 329-367 : 347-350

Photomorphus schoenwerthi Sadler & Pitts , sp. nov.

Diagnosis of male. This species is recognized by the mesosternum ( Fig. 11 ) bearing tubercles that have apical transverse grooves, by the morphology of the mandible ( Fig. 10 ), by the mesoscutum with golden setae ( Fig. 9 ), by the apex of the fore wings with maculations, by the granulate pygidium ( Fig. 12 ), by the penal valve of the genitalia being hidden from view laterally by the parapenial lobes and by the cuspis being ~0.66× the free length of the paramere ( Figs 17 and 18 ).

Description of male. Coloration ( Fig. 9 ). Body ferruginous, except antennae slightly infuscated. Pubescence of body pale, except mesoscutum and T5–7 golden yellow. Ocellar area concolorous with head. Wings hyaline, maculation present posterior to stigma.

Head ( Fig. 10 ). Mentum carinulate. Head quadrate posteriorly. Mandible ( Fig. 10 ) tridentate, deeply excised ventrally, slightly constricted at excision and slightly dilated beyond excision. Clypeus depressed below margin of mandible, median area concave; surface of clypeus polished, impunctate, with few erect setae; apex truncate, proximal margin of clypeus weakly to moderately tuberculate. Front, vertex and gena closely punctate; those on front more closely punctate than those on gena and vertex. Ocelli moderate in size, ocellocular distance 1.7 × length of lateral ocellus. F1 approximately 0.75 × length of F2.

Mesosoma ( Fig. 9 ). Pronotum coarsely punctured, punctures contiguous to confluent. Mesonotum coarsely punctured, punctures slightly separated on disk, dense and confluent laterally. Anterior half of parapsidial furrows and notauli absent. Axillae slightly projecting posteriorly as small rounded structures. Scutellum densely punctured. Dorsum and posterior face of propodeum reticulate, dorsum with pair of narrow elongate areas extending from proximal margin about one third length of combined dorsum and posterior face; elongate areas flanked anteriorly on each side by triangular area extending from proximal margins posteriorly about half their length. Reticulations of dorsum and posterior face of propodeum extending laterally. Anterior area of mesopleura nitid, with sparse punctures ventrally and becoming closely punctured dorsally. Elevated area of mesopleura with moderately large contiguous punctures. Metapleuron polished. Mesosternum ( Fig. 11 ) with pair of high, transverse, oblique, compressed elevations; anterior face of each elevation convex; posterior face of each concave; each elevation bears weak carinulate ridge posteriorly. Each elevation with transverse groove at apex. Mid and hind coxa edentate. Mid femur not swollen. Marginal cell on costa short, ~1.3 × length of stigma. Marginal cell subtruncate apically.

Metasoma ( Fig. 9 ). First metasomal segment subsessile with second segment. T1 nitid with close punctures. Disk of T2 nitid with small, sparse punctures becoming closely punctate at anterior, posterior and lateral margins. S2 with felt line, 0.3 × length of tergal felt line. Felt line area of T2 and S2 concolorous with surrounding integument. Pygidium ( Fig. 12 ) elongate and ovate, granulate, margined laterally with carinae; Hypopygidium elongate and ovate; apical margin tridentate medially. Genitalia ( Figs 17 and 18 ) with paramere acicular; cuspis elongate, approximately 0.66 × free length of paramere, and cylindrical in lateral view basally, apical 0.75 elongate paddle-shaped, with moderate dorsal basal pit. Penal valve obscured in lateral view by elongate parapenial lobes.

Length. 10–12.5 mm.

Female. Unknown.

Material examined. Holotype data, ♂: USA, Arizona, Yavapai Co., 2 mi E Montezuma Well , 19- 20.Jun.2007, K.A. Williams ( EMUS) ; Paratypes: Arizona: Gila Co., Globe , 1 ♂, 9.Jun.1936, F.H. Parker ( UAIC) , 1 ♂, 20.Jun.1936, F.H. Parker (UMSP), 1 ♂, 28.Jun.1935, F.H. Parker (UMSP), Payson , 3 mi. N, 1 ♂, 23.Jul.1937, Rehn, Pate & Rehn ( UMSP) ; Maricopa Co., Phoenix , 1 ♂, 17.May.1942 (UMSP), 1 ♂, 29.Jn.1924, J.H. O’Dell (UMSP); Mojave Co., Hualpa Mts. , W. S1, 1 ♂, 8.Aug.1962, F. Werner & J. Bequaert ( UAIC) ; Pima Co., Baboquivari Campground , 1 ♂, 11 mi E Topawa , 1 ♂, 31.Jun.2011, K.A. & E.E. Williams (EMUS); Saguaro National Monument : 1 ♂, 28.Apr.1961 , 1 ♂, 30.Apr.1961, 1 ♂, 2.May.1960, 1 ♂, 5.May.1961, 4 ♂, 7 May.1960, 1 ♂, 18.May.1961, 1 ♂, 26.May.1960, 4 ♂, 27.May.1960, 3 ♂, 30.May.1961, 3 ♂, 1.Jun.1960, 1 ♂, 2.Jun.1960, 1 ♂, 12.Jun.1960, G.D. Butler (UAIC); Tucson , 1 ♂, 7.May.1958, G.D. Butler ( UAIC) , 1 ♂, 20.May.1935, Bryant (UMSP); Vail , 8 mi N, 1 ♂, 26.Jun1962, F. Werner ( UAIC) ; Yavapai Co., 2 mi E Montezuma Well , 29 ♂, 19- 20.Jun.2007, K.A. Williams ( EMUS) ; Yuma Co., Kofa National Wildlife Reserve , 2 ♂, 1.May.2010, E.E. & K.A.Williams ( EMUS) ; Yuma Proving Grounds, Site 531.8, 1 ♂, 26.May.2001, S.L. Buchmann (EMUS).

Other material examined. USA, California, JTNP, 18–21.Jul.2012, 1 ♂ S18.

Distribution. USA (Arizona and California).

Activity. This species was too rare at JTNP to assess its activity patterns.

Etymology. Named in honor of Franz Xaver von Schönwerth (1810–1886), who has now been recognized as an important collector of folklore in the Bavarian region of Germany after unpublished material collected by him, including some 500 folktales, was discovered in Regensburg by Erika Eichenseer in 2009.

Figures

FIGURES 9 – 12. Photomorphus schoenwerthi, sp. nov., 9. habitus; 10. head, frontal view; 11. mesosternum; and 12. pygidium.

FIGURES 13 – 18. Odontophotopsis dalyi, sp. nov., genitalia, 13. ventral view, 14. dorsal view; Odontophotopsis odontoloxia, sp. nov., genitalia, 15. ventral view, 16. dorsal view; and Photomorphus schoenwerthi, sp. nov., genitalia, 17. ventral view, 18. dorsal view.