Mickelomyrme athalia ( Pagden, 1949 )

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 : 18-19

9a. Mickelomyrme athalia ( Pagden, 1949)

( Figs 8 , 77–81 )

Smicromyrme athalia Pagden 1949: 219 , ♂, ♀, holotype ♂.

Mickelomyrme athalia: Lelej, 1995a: 17 ; 1996a: 278–280, ♀, ♂; 2005: 43.

Diagnosis. FEMALE. This species has the vertex with a patch of silvery setae; the scape and legs largely reddened; the mesonotum with anterolateral patches of dense white setae, the T2 disc with three horizontally aligned setal spots, the middle spot more yellow-tinted or obliterated; 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 4–6 mm. MALE. See Lelej (1996a).

Material examined. Holotype, Ƌ, MALAYSIA, Kuala Lumpur, 24.V.1936, H.T. Pagden (Selangor Museum, Kuala Lumpur). Other Material (46 ♀). MALAYSIA, Pinang, Telok Bahang, 13–16.II.1993, T. and M. Thomas (1♀ RMNH). THAILAND: Chiang Mai, Omkoi District, Dry dipterocarp forest, 17°50'49.9"N 98°22′33.0″, 950–1010 m alt.: 23.VI.2017, R. Mizuno (1♀ EUM); 24.VI.2017, R. Mizuno (1♀ EUM); 7.VII.2017, R. Mizuno (1♀ EUM); 9.VIII.2017, R. Mizuno (1♀ EUM);Rim Pa Huay Tong, 18.542 o N 98.954 o E, 250 m, Malaise trap at edge of mixed deciduous forest, S. Sonthichai: 10–20.IX.1997 (1♀ EMUS); 20–30.IV.1997 (1♀ EMUS); Kanchanaburi: Lam Ta Pen River, 5 km NW Lat Ya, 7– 8.IV, 13–16.IV.1989, W. Pulawski, (2♂ CASC); Thong Pha Phum, Vimarndin farm stay, 14.655 o N 98.521 o E, 200 m, 17–20.V.2018, MKT (1♀ CSCA); Khonkaen, Nam Pong National Park , office, 16 o 37.341'N 102 o 34.467'E, 324 m, 5–12.VII.2006, K. Jaidee, T115 (1♀ QSBG); 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); Nakhon Nayok, Khao Yai National Park , office, 14 o 24.619'N 101 o 22.778'E, 10.VII.2006, pan trap, P. Sandao, T139 (1♀ QSBG); Nakhon Si Thammarat, 4.4 km N Hin Tok, Mountainside rubber farm, 8.303 o N 99.849 o E, 8.IV.2017, MKT (2♀ CSCA EMUS); Phatthalung, 2.4 km S Ban Na, Farm , 7.543 o N 99.883 o E, 50 m: 5.IV.2017, MKT (1♀ CSCA); 10.IV.2017, MKT (5♀ CSCA); 6.IV.2017, MKT (7♀ CSCA MIUP PSUC QSBG); Songkhla, Hat Yai, Prince of Songkhla University, forest edge, 7.008 o N 100.508 o E, 40 m, 11–12.IV.2017, MKT (7♀ CSCA); Surat Thani, Khlong Sok: Khao Sok Jungle Huts, 8.909 o N 99.526 o E, 70 m: 14.V.2018, MKT (9♀ CSCA); 25–26.V.2018, MKT (2♀ CSCA); Our Jungle House resort, 8.908 o N 99.534 o E, 75 m, 25–27.V.2018, MKT (2♀ CSCA); Trang: Huai Yot , Land of 88 Dragons , Khao Kop , 7.807 o N 99.572 o E, 4.IV.2017, MKT (1♀ CSCA); 0.5 km NE Palian, Orchard , 7.291 o N 99.858 o E, 6.IV.2017, MKT (4♀ CSCA).

Distribution. Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Selangor), Thailand (Chiang Mai, Kanchanaburi, Khonkaen, Krabi, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Surat Thani, Trang), Laos.

Remarks. In the description by Pagden (1949) this species is mentioned as having anterolateral patches of white setae on the mesonotum. These patches vary in intensity ( Figs 77, 78 ) but seem to be present in all the Thai specimens we observed. Differentiating them from M. bicristata ( Chen, 1957) , then, is now difficult, as the presence of these spots is the primary diagnostic feature of M. bicristata in the only key to species (Lelej 1996a). According to the description ( Chen 1957), M. bicristata has the lateral and medial spots on the disc of T2 concolorous pale golden, while all the M. athalia specimens have the lateral spots silvery and the medial spot golden ( Fig. 77 ) or obliterated ( Fig. 78 ). Molecular studies or comparisons of the ♂ s will be needed to determine whether M. athalia and M. bicristata truly are distinct species.

Some individuals of M. athalia and M. puttasoki , sp. nov., tend to have the medial spot of T2 obliterated and replaced by black setae. This makes them the only Smicromyrmini specimens to have T2 marked with two lateral setal spots, the diagnostic feature for Trogaspidiini. To our knowledge, none of the Trogaspidiini have anterolateral white mesonotal spots like these two Mickelomyrme species. Also, the T2 spots are located at the extreme lateral margins of T2, while most Trogaspidiini have the spots more centrally oriented.

Figures

FIGURES 1–28. Mutillidae, dorsal habitus of females. Scale bars represent actual specimen length.

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.