Dasymutilla chamela 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 : 39-40

Dasymutilla chamela Manley & Pitts , new species

Holotype male, Mexico, Jalisco, Chamela , XI-13-85 [ EMUS].

Diagnosis of Male ( Plate C3C ). This species is easily distinguished by the scutellum, which has long lateral processes and a short median process to form a “W” -shaped structure, and coloration of the integument. The head, pronotum, mesonotum, scutellum, and metasomal segments from III posteriorly are black, while the pleura, propodeum, legs, and metasomal segments I and II are distinctly reddish, and there is a distinct yellow macula covering much of the disk of tergum II. Also, sternum II has a long, narrow pit densely filled with pale setae that is distinctly anterior in position, the pygidium is impunctate, with an indistinct apical fringe of black setae, and the setal pattern consists of contrasting silver and black setae.

Description. Male: Length, 11–14 mm. Head. Black, densely clothed with appressed silver setae; mandible tridentate; clypeus flat, coarsely sculptured, bidentate on anterior margin; scape distinctly bicarinate; flagellomere I slightly shorter than remaining segments; antennal scrobe carinate; with coarse contiguous punctures, sculpture mostly concealed by dense setae; head evenly rounded posteriorly.

Mesosoma. Pronotum, mesonotum, and scutellum black, pleura and propodeum reddish; anterior margin not emarginate medially; mesosoma with coarse contiguous punctures throughout; tegula reddish to castaneous, with shallow punctures scattered throughout; scutellum with long lateral processes and short median process to form “ W” -shaped structure; mesonotum with black setae, remainder of mesosoma with silver setae.

Legs conspicuously reddish, with pale setae.

Forewing banded, basal area transparent, followed by narrow dusky band, then narrow transparent band, with apical third dusky. Hindwing dusky.

Metasoma. First two metasomal segments reddish, except disk of tergum II with large yellow macula; remainder of metasoma black; pygidium glabrous, with inconspicuous apical fringe of black setae; sternum I with longitudinal carina, not produced into blunt tooth on either end; sternum II with long, narrow pit densely filled with silver setae, the pit distinctly anterior in position; apical fringes of terga IV to V with dense silver setae; remaining apical fringes black.

Genitalia ( Plate 1F ). Paramere with apex dorsally curved, ventral margin of basal 0.5 densely pubescent, remainder with few short sparse setae; cuspis cylindrical, ventral and internal surface with thick long setae, dorsal and external surface with sparse short setae, length about 0.75X free length of paramere, densely pubescent basal lobe present; digitus cylindrical, curving inwards, tapering towards apex, slightly knob-like apically, length about 0.3X free length of paramere; penial valve bidentate, teeth separate, anterior tooth larger than posterior tooth.

Female. Unknown.

Paratypes. 3♂, MEXICO, Jalisco, Chamela , IX-26-X-8-85, Parker & Griswold (1♂, EMUS); IX-26/30- 85 (1♂, DGMC); Careyes, II-12-III-19-97, F. D. Parker (1♂, DGMC) .

Distribution. Mexico (Jalisco).

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

Remarks. This species is known only from the male. It keys easily except when the apical fringe of setae on the pygidium is missing. The apical fringe is inconspicuous. If the pygidial fringe were missing, this species would get lost at couplet #85.

Figures

PLATE 1. Male genitalia of Dasymutilla. A. D. atrata. B. D. baylegi. C. D. bimaculata. D. D. boharti. E. D. brazilia. F. D. chamela. G. D. chillcotti. H. D. fimbriata. I. D. guanacaste.

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.