Dasymutilla nigripes (Fabricius)

MANLEY, DONALD G. & PITTS, JAMES P., 2007, Tropical and Subtropical Velvet Ants of the Genus Dasymutilla Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) with Descriptions of 45 New Species, Zootaxa 1487 (1), pp. 1-128 : 75

Dasymutilla nigripes (Fabricius)

Mutilla nigripes Fabricius, 1787 . Mantissa Insectorum 1:313. Holotype female, without locality label [UKGC] (homotype designated and returned to DGMC).

Mutilla sparsa Fox, 1899 . Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc. 25:240. Holotype female, Colorado (No. 4631) [ANSP] (examined). Synonymy: Mickel (1936a:43–44).

Dasymutilla blawa Rohwer, 1912 . Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 41:457. Holotype female, Ames, Iowa (No. 14129) [USNM] (examined). Synonymy: Mickel (1936a:43–44).

Dasymutilla segregata Rohwer, 1912 . Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 41:459. Holotype female, Pennsylvania (No. 14134) [USNM] (examined). Synonymy: Mickel (1936a:43–44).

Dasymutilla segregata finni Rohwer, 1912 . Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 41:459. Holotype female, Egypt, Georgia (W. H. Finn) (No. 14135) [USNM] (examined). Synonymy: Mickel (1936a:43–44).

Dasymutilla bruneri Rohwer, 1912 . Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 41:460. Holotype female, Bismarck, North Dakota (L. Bruner) (No. 14136) [USNM] (examined). Synonymy: Mickel (1936a:43–44).

Dasymutilla champlaini Rohwer, 1912 . Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 41:461. Holotype female, Lyme, Connecticut (A. B. Champlain) (No. 14140) [USNM] (examined). Synonymy: Mickel (1936a:43–44).

Dasymutilla hirticula Mickel, 1923 . Minn. State Ent. Rpt. 19:107. Holotype male, Fridley sand dunes, Anoka County, Minnesota, July 28, 1922 (Mickel) [UMSP] (examined). Synonymy: Mickel (1936a:43–44).

Diagnosis of Female (Plate C7A). This species can be recognized by lack of a carina on either the antennal scrobe or the gena, by lack of a scutellar scale, by having the mesosoma long and slender, much longer than broad, and by having the setae sparse and appressed. The setal pattern is variable over its range.

Diagnosis of Male (Plate C7B). The tegula of the male is impunctate and shining. It lacks a pit on sternum II and it has an apical fringe of setae on the pygidium. Both tergum II and sternum II are ferruginous, while the remainder of the integument is black. The setae of terga III to VI are entirely black. The setae of tergum II are usually red.

Host Identity. Cerceris f. flavofasciata Smith ( Hymenoptera : Philanthidae ) ( Krombein 1959); it is thought to parasitize Philanthus gibbosus (Fabricius) ( Hymenoptera : Philanthidae ) ( Krombein 1979) as well.

Distribution. USA (Massachusetts to Florida and west to Arizona); Canada (Alberta); Mexico.

Biology. Shappirio (1947:163) (mating behavior); Evans and Miller (1969:74) (adult female overwintering); Evans, Miller, and Bartlett (1973:343–346) (host searching range).

Remarks. This species varies considerably over its large geographical range, which has obviously caused some confusion in its taxonomy, as evidenced by the synonymic names ( Rohwer 1912). In spite of this, it keys out reasonably well in both sexes. This is an extremely common species. Hundreds of specimens of both sexes have been examined.