Odontophotopsis armata Schuster, 1958

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 : 335-336

Odontophotopsis armata Schuster, 1958

Odontophotopsis (Odontophotopsis) armata Schuster, 1958 . Ent. Amer. (n. s.) 37: 60. ♂. Neotype data: California, Riverside County, Deep Canyon ( EMUS).

Diagnosis of male. This species can be recognized by the presence of mesosternal processes, a deeply emarginate, tridentate mandible that is slightly oblique apically (see Boehme et al. 2012: Fig. 12 and Pitts et al. 2010a: Fig. 4 ), and a distinct tubercle located medially on the posterior margin of the clypeus, while usually lacking a sternal felt line. If a sternal felt line is present, it is weak and is defined by little more than a small cluster of micropunctures. Genitalia are illustrated in Boehme et al. (2012; Fig. 3 ).

Female. Unknown.

Material examined. Neotype data: California, Riverside County, Deep Canyon , 15 males, 23–24 May 2007, Wilson, Williams and Pitts ( EMUS) . JTNP: 18–21.Jul.2012: 2 ♂ N7; 1 ♂ N5; 13 ♂ N1; 53 ♂ T; 38 ♂ S1; 1 ♂ S9; 3 ♂ S18. 26–28.Aug.2012: 6 ♂ N7; 1 ♂ N5; 1 ♂ N3; 8 ♂ T; 50 ♂ S1; 5 ♂ S3; 1 ♂ S5; 1 ♂ S7; 1 ♂ S13. 22– 24.Sep.2012: 7 ♂ N7; 2 ♂ N3; 7 ♂ N1; 23 ♂ T; 42 ♂ S1; 1 ♂ S3; 1 ♂ S7; 1 ♂ S9.

Distribution. USA (Arizona, California, and Nevada) and northern Mexico (Baja California and Sonora).

Activity. This species is seemingly active throughout the season at JTNP.

Remarks. This species is in the O. serca species-group and can be sometimes confused with O. serca , from which it only can be separated by the presence of the clypeal tubercle, slight differences in mandibular morphology (the apex of the mandible is slightly, but noticeably, more oblique in this species) and sometimes the presence of a slight sternal felt line. This species is discussed in further detail in Pitts et al. (2010a).

Although this species is found in the Mojave Desert (e.g. Ferguson 1967; Boehme et al. 2012), this species seems to be somewhat more abundant in more southern areas of the Mojave Desert and into the Sonoran Desert ( Table 2 & 3; e.g. Wilson et al. 2010; Pitts et al. 2010a).

Figures

FIGURES 9 – 12. Photomorphus schoenwerthi, sp. nov., 9. habitus; 10. head, frontal view; 11. mesosternum; and 12. pygidium.

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