Odontophotopsis dalyi Sadler & Pitts, 2017

Wilson, Joseph S., 2017, Nocturnal Velvet Ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) of Joshua Tree National Park, Riverside County, California with the description of three new species, Zootaxa 4319 (2), pp. 329-367 : 338

Odontophotopsis dalyi Sadler & Pitts , sp. nov.

Diagnosis of male. This species can be recognized by the mandibular morphology ( Figs 1 and 2 ), especially the shape of the mandible (the mandible is vertical throughout with weak ventral tooth and slight ventral excision), the lack of mesosternal tubercles ( Fig. 3 ), the well-developed sternal felt line, the dense plumose setal fringes on the apices of the metasomal segments, and the granulate pygidium that it is undefined laterally ( Fig. 4 ). Genitalia are illustrated in Figs 13 and 14 .

Description of male. Coloration ( Fig. 1 ). Body testaceous; flagellum and legs stramineous; ocellular triangle piceous. Body with sparse, erect, brachyplumose, yellowish-white setae. T1 with sparse plumose fringe at distal margin. T2 and S2 with dense fringe of whitish plumose setae. T3–5 and S3–5 each with sparser, but conspicuous fringes of whitish plumose setae.

Head ( Figs 1 and 2 ). Head slightly quadrate posteriorly. Mandible tridentate ( Fig. 2 ), weakly excised beneath, excision obtuse, slight ventral tooth angulate; dorsal carina complete terminating at moderate tooth; apex vertical; mandible parallel beyond excision; mandible slightly curving ventrally towards apex. Clypeus ( Fig. 2 ) depressed below margin of mandible, median area concave; surface of clypeus polished, impunctate, with few erect setae; apex truncate, not bidentate. F1 approximately 0.75 × length of F2. Ocelli ( Figs 1 and 2 ) moderate in size, ocellocular distance approximately 1.25 × greatest width of lateral ocellus. Head weakly sculptured with punctures slightly wider than setal bases; interstitial regions glabrous.

Mesosoma ( Fig. 2 ). Sides and dorsum of pronotum coarsely punctate, dorsum with moderate, shallow punctures, sides with somewhat larger, contiguous punctures. Mesonotum with moderate, contiguous, shallow punctures. Notaulus obsolete on anterior 0.3 of mesonotum. Scutellum coarsely, confluently punctate. Axillae not projecting posteriorly. Dorsum and posterior face of propodeum conspicuously, shallow reticulate, reticulations extending on to sides of propodeum, either remaining reticulate laterally or becoming coarse, punctate-reticulate. Anterolateral area of mesopleuron with moderate, shallow, separated punctures; remainder of mesopleuron with deeper, contiguous to confluent punctures; interstitial areas micropunctate. Metapleuron polished. Mesosternal processes absent ( Fig. 3 ), coarsely punctate. Mid and hind coxa edentate. Mid femur not swollen. Marginal cell on costa short, ~1 × length of stigma.

Metasoma ( Fig. 1 ). First metasomal segment broad, nodose. Pygidium elongate and ovate, granulate along posterior margin, not margined ( Fig. 4 ); S2 with felt line, 0.3 × length of tergal felt line. Hypopygidium elongate and ovate; apical margin rounded. Genitalia ( Figs 13 and 14 ) with paramere acicular; cuspis elongate, approximately 0.5 × free length of paramere, and cylindrical in lateral view, with moderate basal pit.

Length. 10–13 mm.

Female. Unknown.

Material examined. Holotype data, ♂: USA: Arizona: Maricopa County, Vekol Wash , 5 km N I-8 at Vekol Rd crossing, 25.May-3.Jun.2010, M.E. Irwin & F.D. Parker ( EMUS) ; Paratypes: USA: Arizona: Maricopa County, Vekol Wash , 5 km N I-8 at Vekol Rd crossing, 1 ♂, 25.May-3.Jun.2010, 6 ♂, 3-7.Jun.2010, M.E. Irwin & F.D. Parker ( EMUS) ; Yuma County: Yuma Proving Ground , 27.Jul.2001, S.L. Buchmann ( EMUS) . California: San Diego County, Borrego , 1 ♂, 3.May.1956, P.D. Hurd ( CISC) . Mexico: Sonora, Desemboque , 1 ♂, 1-10.Sep.1953, B. Malkin ( CISC) .

Other material examined. USA: California: Riverside County: Joshua Tree National Park , Site S 9, 2 ♂, 23- 24.Sep.2012, Site N 7, 1 ♂, 27.28 . Aug.2012, E. Sadler & K. Weglarz (EMUS), Site S7, 2 ♂ 27-28.Oct.2012, E. Sadler & Z. Portman (EMUS).

Distribution. USA (Arizona and California).

Activity. This species was too rare at JTNP to assess its activity patterns.

Etymology. Named in honor of Carroll John Daly (1889–1958) who was a writer of crime fiction, and who has been credited with creating the first hard-boiled story and created the private detective Race Williams.

Remarks. Although this species lacks mesosternal processes, this species belongs in the O. parva speciesgroup due to the head shape, mandibular morphology, bidentate metasternum, metasomal segment 1 being petiolate with segment 2 and being strongly punctate, sternal felt line, and granulate pygidium. Mesosternal processes are also lacking in O. hammetti Pitts, 2010 , O. rubriventris Schuster, 1958 and O. sonora (Schuster) . The mandibular shape is similar to that of O. mamata . This species could be most easily confused with O. hammetti . It differs, however, in the shape of the mandibles. The mandible of O. hammetti is straighter and is dilated apically, the hind coxae are less hirsute and the mesosternum is convex. The mandible of O. dalyi , sp. nov., is more bent and is not dilated apically, the hind coxae are densely hirsute and the mesosternum is flattened.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. Odontophotopsis dalyi, sp. nov., 1. habitus; 2. head, frontal view; 3. mesosternum; and 4. pygidium.

FIGURES 13 – 18. Odontophotopsis dalyi, sp. nov., genitalia, 13. ventral view, 14. dorsal view; Odontophotopsis odontoloxia, sp. nov., genitalia, 15. ventral view, 16. dorsal view; and Photomorphus schoenwerthi, sp. nov., genitalia, 17. ventral view, 18. dorsal view.