Odontophotopsis inconspicua (Blake)

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 : 24-25

Odontophotopsis inconspicua (Blake)

Photopsis inconspicuus Blake, 1886 . Amer. Ent. Soc., Trans. 13: 272. Male. Holotype data: California (ANSP). Mutilla infelix Dalla Torre, 1897 . Cat. Hym. 50. New name for Photopsis inconspicuous Blake not Mutilla inconspicuus Smith.

Diagnosis of male. This species possesses the following combination of characters: the mandible is slightly excised ventrally forming a slight angulate tooth and the mandible is dilated towards the apex, the mesosternum only has one pair of large distinct spines that are flattened to slightly concave on the posterior side, the metasternum is tridentate, and the pygidium is granulate and is defined laterally by carinae. The genitalia are illustrated in Fig. 12 .

Diagnosis of female. The female of this species can be recognized by the ventral margin of the mandible being a distinct angulation, flagellomere 1 being much longer than flagellomere 2, the mesosoma being hexagonal in dorsal view, the first segment of the metasoma being sessile with the second, the second metasomal segment being of normal length, ~ 1X as long as anterior width or just slightly greater, the pygidium being longitudinally striate, and by the presence of dense appressed setae on the dorsum that obscure the integumental sculpture and are distinctly plumose at the base of the setal shaft becoming simple apically.

Description of female: Coloration and Setal Pattern. Body testaceous to stramineous ( Figs. 71–73 ); posterior margin of T2 and metasomal segments 3–6 slightly darker. Mandible apices black. Flagellum and legs stramineous. Plumose setae dense on head, mesosoma, and T2, concealing sculpture. Plumose condition of setae stronger at base, becoming brachyplumose towards tip. Body with erect white brachyplumose setae, denser on vertical face of propodeum and T1. T1 covered with both erect white plumose setae and longer erect white brachyplumose setae. T2–5 and S2–S5 with fringes of white plumose setae. Legs with white brachyplumose setae.

Head. Head subquadrate posteriorly, in lateral view dorsally rounded ( Fig. 71 ), not as wide as mesosoma, moderately punctate. Eye slightly ovate, distance from posterior mandibular articulation ~2.5X visible length of pedicel. Head not narrowed beneath eye. Clypeus protruding anteriorly, posteromedially produced into low triangular tubercle. Genal region below eyes parallel in lateral view. Antennal scrobe without dorsal carina. Antennal tubercle carinate along internal margin defining shield-like region. Flagellomere I ~ 2X length of pedicel. Flagellomeres II–III ~1.2X length of pedicel. Mandible bidentate apically, internal tooth weak ( Fig. 32 ). Dorsal mandibular carina without tooth-like projection at anterior termination of carina ( Fig. 32 ). Ventral mandibular margin with small round to angulate basal tooth; excision as wide as basal width of mandible ( Fig. 32 ). Genal carina absent. Hypostomal bridge produced ventrally into lamella.

Mesosoma. Greatest width of mesosoma equal to length ( Fig. 73 ), slightly wider anteriorly than posteriorly, hexagonal in outline. Mesosoma densely confluently punctate on dorsum. Propleuron anteriorly, mesopleuron medially running vertically, and propodeum laterally with extreme ventral region punctate. Humeral angle dentate. Scutellar scale absent. Mesosternum with low transverse tubercle present medially just anterior to mesocoxa. Metasternum tridentate. Propodeum with distinct dorsal and vertical faces; glabrous laterally.

Metasoma. Segment 1 sessile with segment 2. T1 with small sparse punctures. T2 with dense moderate punctures throughout, but sculpture obscured by setae. T2 with felt line, 0.25X length of tergite. T3–5 shagreened, but covered by dense fringes of previous segments. T6 with distinct pygidial area defined laterally by weak carinae, apical margin produced medially, surface longitudinally striate. Sternite 2 with slight anteromedian tumid region. S2–S5 with punctation similar to tergites.

Length. ~ 9–13 mm.

Material examined. California, Imperial Co. : Algodones Dunes: Cahuilla Ranger Sta. 10 km WSW Glamis, 3 males, 22.Sep–15.Nov.2008, E. Dreyfus ( UCDC); Coachella Canal Rd., 11.3 km NW Hwy. 78, 18.1 km NW Glamis, 5 males, 22.Sep–15.Nov.2008, E. Dreyfus ( UCDC); Wash Rd., 0.7 km W, Rail Road Post 168, 14 males, 18–22.Sep.2008, R.B. Kimsey and T.J. Zavortink ( UCDC); Niland-Glamis Road, 7.4 km NW Glamis. 2 males, 1–2.Jun.2008, Museum Survey Team ( UCDC); Wash Rd., 7 km SE Hwy. 78, 2 males, 9–10.Jun.2008, R.B. Kimsey and T.J. Zavortink ( UCDC). Glamis, 7.5 km N, 1 male, 11–15.Sep.2007, R. Kimsey, L. Kimsey, and T.J. Zavortink ( UCDC); Glamis, 8 km S, 1 male, 11–15.Sep.2007, R. Kimsey, L. Kimsey, and T.J. Zavortink ( UCDC); 1.5 mi. SW Coachella Bridge #1, 32°50’3”N, 115°7’11”W, 1 female, 1 male, 12.Apr.1979 ( CDFA); 2.5 mi. NE Coachella Bridge #1, 32°51’41” N, 115°4’6”W, 1 male, 17.Apr.1979 ( CDFA); Glamis, 6 females, 24.Apr.1972, 2 females, 29.May.1971, M.S. Wasbauer ( CDFA); Glamis, 3 mi. NW, 29 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, 7 mi. SE, 32°55’20”N 114°59’14”W, 3 females, 19–24.Mar.1979 ( CDFA); 1 male, 25.Mar.1979 – 8.Apr.1979 ( CDFA); Seeley, 6 mi W, 1 female, 24.Apr.1972, E.L. Paddock ( CDFA). Inyo Co., Saline Valley Sand Dunes, 1 female, 21.Apr.1974, L. Lapre and M. Tells ( CDFA).

DNA voucher specimen data. California, Imperial Co. : Algodones Dunes: 5 mi SW Glamis, 1 male, 2.Sep.2005, K.A. Williams, JP81 ( EMUS).

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

Remarks. While no molecular data is available for this sex association, morphological and distributional data were used to associate these sexes. There are similarities in mandibular shape, petiole shape, and overall size. Additionally, Ferguson recognized this association as revealed from material he identified of both males and females of this species from the Nevada Test Site; yet Ferguson never officially published his findings. Lastly, the females of Odontophotopsis venusta (Blake) and O. brunnea Schuster have been associated with molecular data (Pitts, unpub.). These species are closely related to O. inconspicua , with all three belonging to the O. venusta species-group. The females of these three species are similar morphologically. We agree with Ferguson, and think that this is sufficient to consider this a new sex association.

Figures

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.

FIGURES 71 – 84. Odontophotopsis inconspicua, female: 71. head, anterior view; 72. lateral view; and 73. dorsal view of mesosoma, anterior left. Sphaeropthalma militaris, female: 74. head, anterior view; 75. head, lateral view; 76. lateral view; and 77. dorsal view of mesosoma, anterior left. O. obscura, female: 78. head, anterior view; 79. lateral view; 80. dorsal view of mesosoma, anterior top; and 81. pygidium. O. parva, female: 82. head, anterior view; 83. lateral view; and 84. dorsal view of mesosoma, anterior top.

FIGURES 31 – 46. Lateral view of mandible, 31 – 40 female and 41 – 46 male. 31. O. arcuata; 32. O. inconspicua; 33. O. melicausa; 34. O. obscura; 35. O. parva; 36. O. villosa; 37. Sphaeropthalma blakeii; 38. S. difficilis; 39. S. militaris; 40. S. triangularis; 41. O. ambigua; 42. O. arcuata; 43. O. aufidia; 44. O. melicausa; 45. O. becki; and 46. O. django.