Dasymutilla ulkei (Cresson)

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 : 98

Dasymutilla ulkei (Cresson)

Mutilla Ulkei Cresson, 1865b . Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil. 4:387. Holotype female, Cape St. Lucas , Lower California (H. Ulke) (No. 1872) [ANSP] (examined).

Diagnosis of Female (Plate C9F). This species has very distinct coloration; the integument of the head and mesosoma are both black, while at least tergum II is orange; the setae of the dorsum are not concolorous, and the apical fringes of terga I to III are entirely silver. Other characters that are useful for differentiating this species from others include the antennal scrobe being carinate dorsally, the ecarinate gena, flagellomere I being very long, about 2X as long as wide at the apex, and about as long as II and III united, the posterolateral angle of the head lacks tubercles, the mesosoma is longer than broad, and possesses a scutellar scale, and tergum II is coarsely punctate.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution. Mexico (Baja California).

Remarks. This species is known only from the female. It is very distinctive with the long first flagellomere and coarse punctation, and keys out rather easily. It is obviously closely related to D. saetigera . It is known only from three specimens including the holotype, all of which have been examined.