Mickelomyrme kuznetsovi Lelej, 1996

Williams, Kevin A., Lelej, Arkady S., Okayasu, Juriya, Borkent, Christopher J., Malee, Rufeah, Thoawan, Kodeeyah & Thaochan, Narit, 2019, The female velvet ants (aka modkhong) of southern Thailand (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae), with a key to the genera of southeast Asia, Zootaxa 4602 (1), pp. 1-69 : 19

9b. Mickelomyrme kuznetsovi Lelej, 1996

( Figs 82, 83 )

Mickelomyrme kuznetsovi Lelej 1996a: 283 , ♀; 2005: 44, ♀.

Diagnosis. FEMALE. This species has the vertex with a patch of silvery setae; the scape and legs largely reddened; the mesonotum without anterolateral patches of white setae, the T2 disc with three horizontally aligned setal spots, the middle spot more yellow-tinted; the apical margin of T2 with black setae only; the T2 felt line with silver to golden setae; T4 with lateral patches of silvery setae; and the pygidium elongate ovate with moderately-spaced striae and the apex smooth. Body length 4.5–5 mm. MALE. Unknown.

Material examined. Holotype ♀, North Vietnam , Prov. Quang Ninh, II. Phong Vong, 20°47'N, 107°25'E, 185 m, open glade with rare grass (former drill Square), 10.X.1990, V. Kuznetsov (ZISP). Paratypes, same locality, 9–10.X.1990, V. Kuznetsov (2♀ IBSS) . Other Material (4 ♀) . THAILAND: Krabi, 14 km NNE Krabi, Phnom Bencha Mountain Resort, 8.208 o N 98.937 o E, 80 m, 2.IV.2017, MKT (2♀ CSCA) ; Phatthalung, 2.4 km S Ban Na, Farm , 7.543 o N 99.883 o E, 50 m, 6.IV.2017, MKT (1♀ CSCA) ; Songkhla, Hat Yai, Prince of Songkhla University , forest edge, 7.008 o N 100.508 o E, 40 m, 11–12.IV.2017, MKT (1♀ CSCA) .

Distribution. China. Laos. Thailand * (Krabi, Phatthalung, Songkhla), Vietnam (Quang Ninh).

Remarks. This species is nearly identical to M. athalia . Lelej (1996a) separated it from M. athalia by differences in size and punctation, but few specimens were available. After examining the large series of M. athalia mentioned above, we found that these features were not adequate to differentiate these taxa. The absence of white setal mesonotal patches seems to be the most reliable way to differentiate these species, but this trait is also subject to vary in intensity ( Figs 77, 78 ). It seems likely that M. kuznetsovi may be eventually recognized as a synonym of M. athalia .

Figures

FIGURES 77–85. Mutillinae: Smicromyrmini females III. 77–81. Mickelomyrme athalia; 82–83. M. kuznetsovi. 84–85. Mickelomyrme pusillaeformis, comb. nov.; 77, 78, 82, 84. Habitus, dorsal view; 79, 83, 85. Habitus, lateral view; 80. Face view; 81. T6.