Odontophotopsis clypeata Schuster, 1958

Boehme, Nicole F., Tanner, David A., Williams, Kevin A. & Pitts, James P., 2012, Faunal study of velvet ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) and their activity patterns and habitat preference at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Nye County, Nevada, USA, Zootaxa 3587, pp. 1-45 : 17-18

Odontophotopsis clypeata Schuster, 1958

( Fig. 13)

Odontophotopsis (Odontophotopsis) clypeata Schuster, 1958: 59 ,

3. Holotype: Arizona, Tucson (UMSP).

Diagnosis. MALE. This species has a head that is rounded posteriorly, deeply excised mandibles that are slightly dilated apically ( Fig. 13 and Pitts et al. 2010a: Fig. 8 ), has a transverse clypeus that is slightly depressed below mandibular margins, but lacks a tubercle situated posteromedially on the clypeus, has a pair of denticulate mesosternal processes situated anteromedially, has a shiny glabrous pygidium and the metasoma is usually castaneous, at least around the felt lines. Genitalia are illustrated by Pitts et al. 2009: Fig. 11 . FEMALE. Unknown.

Material examined. Type material. Holotype of O. clypeata : Arizona, Tucson , 26 Aug 1939, O. Bryant ( UMSP) . Other material. Nevada, Nye Co., AMNWR: Non-dune site 1: 4 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, 7 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 9 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 4 ♂, LT, 4–6.VIII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 22 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, 2 ♂, LT, 2–4.X.2009, 6 ♂, LT, 16–18.X.2009, NFB ; Non-dune site 2: 2 ♂, LT, 12–14.V.2009, 20 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 6 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 24 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 31 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 12 ♂, LT, 4–6.VIII.2009, 18 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 6 ♂, LT, 4–6.IX.2009, 37 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, 4 ♂, LT, 16–18.X.2009, NFB ; Non-dune site 3: 2 ♂, LT, 12–14.V.2009, 23 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, 39 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 22 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 16 ♂, LT, 4–6.VIII.2009, 9 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 8 ♂, LT, 1 ♂, PT, 4–6.IX.2009, 16 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, 1 ♂, PT, 3.X.2009, NFB ; Non-dune site 4: 44 ♂, LT, 1 ♂, MT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 34 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 53 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 21 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 76 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 2 ♂, LT, 1 ♂, PT, 4–6.VIII.2009, 27 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 13 ♂, LT, 4–6.IX.2009, 2 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, 2 ♂, PT, 3. X.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 16–17.X.2009, NFB ; Sand dune site 1: 13 ♂, 26.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & JPP, 7 ♂, PT, 5.VIII.2008, NFB, 1 ♂, PT, 17–18.X.2008, NFB & SDB, 4 ♂, LT, 12–14.V.2009, 93 ♂, LT, 1 ♂, MT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 19 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 58 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 12 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 122 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 2 ♂, LT, 4–6.VIII.2009, 47 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 33 ♂, LT, 2 ♂, PT, 4–6.IX.2009, 30 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 2–4.X.2009, 7 ♂, LT, 16–18.X.2009, NFB, 1 ♂, LT, 29–31.X.2009, NFB & SDB ; Sand dune site 2: 4 ♂, LT, 12–14.V.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 2 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 44 ♂, LT, 1 ♂, MT, 21–23.VII.2009, 2 ♂, LT, 4–6.VIII.2009, 30 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 4–6.IX.2009, 2 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, NFB ; Sand dune site 3: 1 ♂, LT, 12–14.V.2009, 12 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 2 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 18 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 8 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 60 ♂, LT, 1 ♂, MT, 21–23.VII.2009, 21 ♂, LT, 4–6.VIII.2009, 7 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 9 ♂, LT, 4–6.IX.2009, 26 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 2 ♂, PT, 2–4.X.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 16–17.X.2009, NFB ; Sand dune site 4: 18 ♂, LT, 9.VI.2008, NFB & DAT, 4 ♂, PT, 5–6.VIII.2008, 1 ♂, PT, 2–3.IX.2008, 1 ♂, LT, 12–14.V.2009, 15 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 58 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 52 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 247 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 7 ♂, LT, 4–6.VIII.2009, 17 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 38 ♂, LT, 1 ♂, PT, 4–6.IX.2009, 67 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 2 ♂, PT, 2–4.X.2009, 5 ♂, LT, 16–18.X.2009, NFB ; Sand dune site 5: 113 ♂, LT, 24.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & JPP, 10 ♂, LT, 10. VII.2008, 5 ♂, LT, 24.VII.2008, NFB & DAT, 1 ♂, PT, 2–3.IX.2008, 4 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 3 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 3 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 42 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 6 ♂, LT, 1 ♂, PT, 4–6.VIII.2009, 33 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 1 ♂, PT, 4.IX.2009, NFB ; Non-dune site 5: 4 ♂, LT, 13.VI.2008, NFB & DAT, 11 ♂, LT, 22–24.VII.2008, NFB & DAT, 1 ♂, PT, 17–18.X.2008, NFB & SDB, 3 ♂, LT, 12–14.V.2009, 14 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 19 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 31 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 66 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 10 ♂, LT, 4–6.VIII.2009, 23 ♂, LT, 4–6.IX.2009, 47 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 16–18.X.2009, NFB, 1 ♂, LT, 29–31.X.2009, NFB & SDB ; Copeland site: 10 ♂, LT, 14. V.2008, 5 ♂, LT, 30. V.2008, 21 ♂, LT, 13.VI.2008, NFB & DAT, 1 ♂, PT, 24–26.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & JPP, 1 ♂, PT, 5.VIII.2008, NFB & SDB ; Wash site: 4 ♂, LT, 30.V.2008, NFB & DAT.

Distribution. USA (Arizona, California and Nevada).

Activity. Males were active from mid-spring through mid-autumn (May through October).

Remarks. Odontophotopsis clypeata were uniformly distributed across sand dune and non-sand dune habitats (U=15, p>0.2). Two thousand three hundred seventy-five O. clypeata males were collected from May to October at light traps, pitfall traps and malaise traps. This Was the most commonly collected species ( Table 1 ). Fourteen O. clypeata specimens were found at the NTS from July to September via light and pitfall traps ( Ferguson 1967). This species is widespread and common in many parts of its range, and its taxonomy is discussed in further detail in Pitts et al. (2009). This species is easily confused with O. microdonta . However, mandibular morphology and placement of the mesosternal tubercles differ ( Ferguson 1967).

Figures

FIGURES 2 – 11. Male genitalia. 2. Odontophotopsis acmaea: dorsal view (left) and internal view (right); 3. O. armata: dorsal view and lateral view of cuspis (inset); 4. O. bellona: dorsal view; 5. O. mamata: dorsal view and lateral view of cuspis (inset); 6. O. microdonta: dorsal view (right) and ventral view (left); 7. O. piute: dorsal view; 8. O. serca: dorsal view and lateral view of cuspis (inset); 9. Sphaeropthalma nana: internal view; 10. S. orestes: dorsal view (left) and ventral view (right); and 11. S. parkeri: dorsal view (left) and ventral view (right).