Odontophotopsis sonora (Schuster) Schuster, 2007

Pitts, James P., 2007, Revision of Odontophotopsis Viereck (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae), Part 1, with a description of a new Genus Laminatilla, Zootaxa 1619, pp. 1-43 : 20

Odontophotopsis sonora (Schuster) , NEW COMBINATION

( Figs. 32–35 )

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

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished from other Nearctic nocturnal species by having both a clypeus that is produced anteriorly into a lobe that extends over the mandibles ( Figs. 32, 33 ), and by having the mandible unexcised to only slightly excised ventrally and without a ventral tooth ( Fig. 32 ). This species lacks tubercles on the mesosternum.

Male. Coloration and setal pattern. Body entirely stramineous, except ocellar area fuscous and front sometimes slightly infuscated. Setae pale white brachyplumose to plumose.

Head. Rounded posteriorly. Ocelli large, diameter of lateral ocellus equal to ocellocular distance. Front and vertex polished, with fine scattered indistinct setigerous punctures. Clypeus produced into conspicuous lobe covering mandibles ( Fig. 32, 33 ); apical margin slightly emarginated and bent dorsally. Mandible varying from weakly excised ventrally to appearing to lack excision ( Fig. 32 ); dorsal carina very delicate and weak on distal 0.5X of mandible, mandible oblique to almost horizontal distally, horizontal width much greater than vertical width. F1 ~ 2X length of pedicel, and ~0.75X length of F2.

Mesosoma. Pronotum with moderate contiguous punctures throughout. Mesonotum polished, shallow, small indistinct sparse punctures. Scutellum with small close indistinct punctures. Propodeum reticulate, areoles long, ~three reticulations in length. Mesopleuron with moderate shallow close indistinct punctures on a subgranulate surface. Metasternum bidentate. Wing with marginal cell on costa slightly longer to 1.5X length of stigma. Trochanters and coxae unarmed.

Metasoma. First metasomal segment elongate, subsessile with second. T1 polished, weakly punctate on disk, with thin plumose fringe. T2 polished with fine scattered setigerous punctures, with distinct plumose fringe. T3-6 with fine scattered setigerous punctures on granulate surface with distinct plumose fringes. Pygidium disk polished glabrous to subgranulate, with dense apical fringe. S2 polished with small indistinct setigerous punctures and plumose fringe. S2 felt line ~0.3X length of T2 felt line. Hypopygidium granulate, rounded apically without medial tooth. Genitalia as in Figs. 34 and 35 .

Distribution. The Sonoran, Mojave, and Great Basin Deserts of Arizona, California, and Nevada.

Material examined. USA, Arizona: Cochise Co., Happy Camp Rd. , 2 males, 20.Jul.2006, K.A. Williams and J.S. Wilson ( EMUS); Yuma Co., Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, 50 mi N, 2 males, 23–24.Jun.2006, K.A. Williams and J.S.Wilson ( EMUS). California: Imperial Co., Glamis , 3 mi NE, 2 males, 29.May.1971, 4 males, 15–16.Sep.1972, 1 male, 16.Oct.1972, M.S. Wasbauer ( CDFA); Glamis, 5 mi SW, 1 male, 23.Jul.2005, K.A. Williams ( EMUS); Inyo Co., Eureka Valley Dunes , 3 males, 13.Jul.1975, Andrews and Hardy ( CDFA); Tinemaha Reservoir Sand Dunes, East Side, 4 males, 12.Aug.1975, Andrews and Hardy ( CDFA); San Bernardino Co., Barstow, 5mi. S. on HW 247, 5 males, 16.Jul.2005, K.A Williams ( EMUS), 1 male, 24.Jun.2005, E.E. & K.A. Williams ( EMUS); 29 Palms, 10 mi E, 1 male, 20.Jun.1969 ( CDFA); Wonder Valley, 1 male, 19.Jun.2004, K.A. Williams ( EMUS); San Diego Co., Borrego, 1 paratype male, 25.Apr.1950, C.D. MacNeill ( CISC); Riverside Co., Palm Springs, 1 paratype male, T. Zschokke ( UMSP); Hopkins Well, 2 paratype males, 29.Apr.1952, P.D. Hurd and J.G. Rozen ( CISC). Nevada, Churchill Co., Sand Mt, 1 male, 22.Aug.2005, K.A. Williams ( EMUS).

Remarks. This species and species-group were placed in Sphaeropthalma subgenus Micromutilla by Schuster (1958). Pitts et al. (2004) considered all of the Sphaeropthalma subgenera to be synonymous. The genitalic morphology and plumose setae suggest that it is best placed in Odontophotopsis .

This species may be confused with Sphaeropthalma because it lacks tubercles on the mesosternum, but the characters listed in the diagnosis are sufficient to distinguish this species from all other Nearctic nocturnal species. Sphaeropthalma macswaini Ferguson is the only other species in the Nearctic region that could be possibly confused with this species due to the elongate clypeus projecting over the mandibles. Sphaeropthalma macswaini , however, has widely dilated mandibular apices with the ventral margin deeply excised, has obscure mesosternal tubercles, and the size and shape of the cuspis of the genitalia differ greatly from O. sonora . Also, O. sonora may be confused with O. territa (Cockerell) due to the elongate clypeus in the latter species, but in O. territa the mandibles do not cover the clypeus in repose and this species has conspicuous mesosternal processes.

Figures

FIGURES 32 – 35. Odontophotopsis sonora: Fig. 32. head, frontal view; Fig. 33. head, frontal view; Fig. 34. genitalia, dorsal view; Fig. 35. cuspis, lateral view, dorsum to the left.