Odontophotopsis sonora Schuster

Pitts, James P., Wilson, Joseph S., Williams, Kevin A. & Boehme, Nicole F., 2009, Velvet ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) of the Algodones sand dunes of California, USA, Zootaxa 2131, pp. 1-53 : 30

Odontophotopsis sonora Schuster

Sphaeropthalma (Micromutilla) sonora Schuster, 1958 . Ent. Amer. 37: 16. Male. Holotype data: Tucson, Arizona, 10 Sep 1935. Bryant (UMSP).

Diagnosis of male. This species can be recognized by the lack of a tooth on the ventral margin of the mandible, the tridentate and oblique mandibular apex, and by the clypeus being elongate and projecting over the dorsal margins of the mandibles ( Fig. 30 ). Also, this species lacks mesosternal armature, despite its placement in the genus Odontophotopsis . The genitalia are illustrated in Figs. 20 and 21 .

Female. Unknown, but will possibly be similar to the females of the O. melicausa species-group based on male morphology.

Material examined. California, Imperial Co. : Algodones Dunes: Cahuilla Ranger Sta. 10 km WSW Glamis, 4 males, 22.Sep–15.Nov.2008, E. Dreyfus ( UCDC); Roadrunner Campgrnd, 10.7 km SW Glamis. 2 males, 31.May–3.Jun.2008, Museum Survey Team ( UCDC). Glamis, 3mi. NW, 5 males, 15–16.Sep.1972, M.S. Wasbauer and A. Hardy ( CDFA); Glamis, 5 mi SW, 1 male, 23.Jul.2005, K.A. Williams ( EMUS); Glamis, 2 males, 29.May.1971, M.S. Wasbauer and A. Hardy ( CDFA).

Distribution. Southern California and southwestern Arizona northward into southern Nevada.

Remarks. This species is not common and is not endemic to the dunes; it was recently moved to Odontophotopsis (Pitts, 2007) , and a more thorough discussion can be found in that publication.

Figures

FIGURES 23 – 30. 23 – 26 Genitalia, dorsal view left, ventral right. 23. Sphaeropthalma blakeii; 24. S. ecarinata; 25. S. militaris; 26. S. triangularis; 27. Dorsal view of Odontophotopsis villosa, female; 28. Anterior view of head of O. villosa, female; 29. Anterior view of head of O. biramosa, male; and 28. Anterior view of head of O. sonora, male.

FIGURES 7 – 22. Dorsal view of genitalia, except Figs. 15, 17, 19, and 21 lateral view of cuspis. 7. Odontophotopsis ambigua; 8. O. arcuata; 9. O. aufidia; 10. O. biramosa; 11. O. clypeata; 12. O. inconspicua; 13. O. melicausa; 14 and 15. O. obscura; 16 and 17. O. parva; 18 and 19. O. quadrispinosa; 20 and 21 O. sonora; and 22. O. villosa.