Dasymutilla concordia Manley & Pitts, 2007

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 : 45-46

Dasymutilla concordia Manley & Pitts , new species

Holotype female, Mexico, Sinaloa, Concordia, VII-4-63, F. D. Parker and L. A. Stange [ UCDC].

Diagnosis of Female ( Plate C3M ). The coloration of this species is diagnostic with the integument being entirely ferruginous, and the setal pattern being made up of patches of pale orange and black setae. Especially important is the mesosomal setal pattern with the anterior third of the dorsum having a triangular pattern of dense black setae, the median third with a broad “V” - shaped pattern of dense yellow/orange setae, and the posterior third with black setae. Also, the antennal scrobe is carinate dorsally, while a genal carina is absent. The head is narrower than the mesosoma, the mesosoma is longer than broad, the scutellar scale is prominent and with a transverse sinuate carina anterior to the scale, and the pygidium is longitudinally striate.

Description. Female: Length, 10–16 mm. Head. Ferruginous, front and vertex clothed with yellow/ orange setae, remainder with white setae; apical two-thirds of mandible black, basal third ferruginous, acute at apex and lacking inner tooth; clypeus transversely concave, anterior margin broadly emarginate; scape, pedicel, and flagellomere I ferruginous, remainder of antenna black; scape carinate, clothed with white setae; flagellomere I slightly longer than remaining segments; antennal scrobe distinctly carinate; front and vertex with coarse contiguous punctures, sculpture concealed by dense setae; gena smooth and shining, with only shallow scattered punctures, lacking a carina; head 1.8–2.8 mm wide, distinctly narrower than mesosoma; relative width of head to mesosoma about 0.75:1.

Mesosoma. Ferruginous, longer than broad (2.0– 4.2 mm wide X 2.3–5.2 mm long); scutellar scale present and conspicuous, and with sinuate carina anterior to scale; anterior margin evenly transverse, not emarginate medially; dorsum with coarse contiguous punctures, pleura smooth and shiny, with only scattered punctures; anterior third of dorsum with triangular pattern of dense black setae, median third with broad, “ V” - shaped pattern of dense yellow/orange setae, followed by a dense brush of black setae on the propodeum; pleura with white setae.

Legs ferruginous, with white setae.

Metasoma. Ferruginous, except disk of tergum II mostly yellow; tergum I smooth and shining, with only shallow scattered punctures, disk of tergum II smooth and shining, with shallow contiguous punctures; pygidium distinctly longitudinally striate; sternum I with sharp carina about 0.5X length of segment, produced into tooth posteriorly; tergum I with apical fringe of black setae, bordered by white; tergum II with arrow-shaped pattern of black setae anteriorly, sparse erect and appressed yellow setae on disk, and apical band of black setae; tergum III entirely with black setae; remainder of metasoma with white setae.

Male. Unknown.

Paratypes. 23♀, MEXICO, Nayarit, Jesus Maria, VI-26-55, B. Malkin (3♀, CISC) ; Jesus Maria, VII-6- 55, B. Malkin (11♀, CISC; 5♀, DGMC) ; Sinaloa, Los Mayos, VII-24-52, J. D. Lattin (1♀, DGMC) ; Sonora, Otates, VII-1-35, GEB (2♀, UMSP) ; Zacatecas, 10 mi. S. Jalpa, IX-17-70, G. E. and R. M. Bohart (1♀, EMUS) .

Distribution. Mexico (Nayarit, Sinaloa, Sonora, Zacatecas).

Etymology. In reference to the type locality of Concordia, Sinaloa, Mexico; the specific-epithet is a noun in apposition.

Remarks. This species, known only from the female, keys easily. It has a conspicuous “V” - shaped pattern of orange setae on the dorsum of the mesosoma. The propodeum, and a triangular pattern on the mesosoma anteriorly, are clothed with black setae. The apical fringe of tergum I is black.

Figures

PLATE 3. Male genitalia of Dasymutilla. A. D. nocticaro. B. D. sinaloa. C. D. spiniscapula. D. D. truxali. E. D. sleipniri. F. D. veracruz. G. D. wasbaueri.