Dasymutilla jalisco Manley

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 : 61

Dasymutilla jalisco Manley

Dasymutilla jalisco Manley, 2003b . Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash. 105:679. Holotype female, allotype male, Mexico, Jalisco, Mpio. La Huerta, Chamela Biological Station , VII-26-1996 (Wm. Godwin) [TAMU] (examined).

Diagnosis of Female (Plate C5H). The female of this species can be easily identified by the head being broad and quadrate, but not broader than the mesosoma, and coloration. The integument is entirely black, lacking any maculae. The head is clothed with golden setae. The setae of the mesosoma are golden anteriorly and black posteriorly; the black setae of the mesosoma form a triangular pattern, and do not extend laterally to the humeral angle. Tergum II has a bilobed pattern of black setae that does not extend beyond the midline of the segment, but otherwise is golden. Also, the antennal scrobe is weakly carinate dorsally, a genal carina is absent, the mesosoma is as broad as long, and lacks a scutellar scale, and sternum II is merely punctate, not at all scabrous.

Diagnosis of Male (Plate C5I). Like the female, the male of this species has a broad, quadrate head. Also, the antennal scrobe is strongly carinate. There is a pit on sternum II that is densely filled with setae. The pit is distinctly anterior of center. The pygidium lacks an apical fringe of setae. The integument of the metasoma is largely reddish, and tergum II is without maculae. The metasoma is clothed entirely with red setae.

Host Identity. Bees of the genus Diadasia Patton , including D. knabiana Cockerell ( Hymenoptera : Apidae ) ( Manley 2003b).

Distribution. Mexico (Guerrero, Jalisco, Morelos); Costa Rica (Guanacaste).

Remarks. This is a relatively common, widely distributed species that was only recently described ( Manley 2003b). It is known from both sexes. Approximately 30 specimens of each sex have been examined.