Dasymutilla nocturna Mickel

Pitts, James P., Wilson, Joseph S., Williams, Kevin A. & Boehme, Nicole F., 2009, Velvet ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) of the Algodones sand dunes of California, USA, Zootaxa 2131, pp. 1-53 : 19

Dasymutilla nocturna Mickel

Dasymutilla nocturna Mickel, 1928 . U.S. Nat. Mus., Bull. 143: 279. Female. Holotype data: California, Imperial County , Colorado Sand Desert, near Andrade, 10 Aug 1917, J. Bequaert (UMSP).

Dasymutilla subhyalina Mickel, 1928 . U.S. Nat. Mus., Bull. 143: 281. Male. Holotype data: California, Imperial County , Colorado Sand Desert, near Andrade, 10 Aug 1917, J. Bequaert (UMSP).

Dasymutilla paranocturna Barr and Hurd, 1947 . Pan-Pac. Ent. 23: 88. Female. Holotype data: California, Riverside County, Blythe, 6 Jul 1946, W.F. Barr (CASC).

Diagnosis of male. The male of this species ( Fig. 55 ) possesses the following combination of characters: the setae of the dorsum are bright white, the eyes and ocelli are large with the diameter of ocellus being longer than distance between lateral and anteromedian ocelli, the axillae are truncate posterolaterally, the wings are subhyaline, white setae are present on T2 but are restricted to the apical fringe, S2 lacks a median pit filled with setae, and an apical fringe of setae is present on the pygidium.

Diagnosis of female. The female of this species ( Fig. 54 ) possesses the following combination of characters: the eyes are enlarged, the dorsum of the head, mesosoma and T2 are clothed with white setae while the setae of T3–6 are black, and the dorsum of the mesosoma is as broad as it is long.

Material examined. California, Imperial Co. : Algodones Sand Dunes: Cahuilla Ranger Station, 10 km WSW Glamis, 1 male, 11–15.Sep.2008, Museum Survey Team ( UCDC), 5 males, 22.Sep.–25.Nov.2008, E. Dreyfus ( UCDC), 2 males, 20.Sep.2008, Museum Survey Team ( UCDC); Coachella Canal Rd., 11.3 km NW Hwy 78, 18.1 km NW Glamis: 1 female and 3 males, 30.May.–3.June.2008, Museum Survey Team ( UCDC); 1 female, 1 male, 28.April.– 2.May.2008, Museum Survey Team ( UCDC); Coachella Canal Rd., 6.4 km NW Hwy 78, 14.4 km NW Glamis: 1 female, 24–28.March.2008, Museum Survey Team ( UCDC); 7 males, 22.Sep.–25.Nov.2008, T. Zavortink and R. Kimsey ( UCDC); 1 male, 22.Sep.–25.Nov.2008, E. Dreyfus ( UCDC); Gecko Rd., 2.1 km S Cahuilla Ranger Station, 2 males, 8– 10.July.2008, T. Zavortink ( UCDC); Gecko Rd., 3.2 km S Cahuilla Ranger Station, 3 males, 7.June.2008, R. Kimsey and T. Zavortink ( UCDC); Roadrunner Campground, 10.7 km SW Glamis, 7 females and 2 males, 31.May.–1.June.2008, Museum Survey Team ( UCDC); Wash Rd, 4.1 km SE Hwy 78, wash SE railroad post 165, 1 male, 22.Sep.–25.Nov.2008, E. Dreyfus ( UCDC); Wash Road, 10.4 km SE Glamis, 1 female and 3 males, 8.July.2008, Museum Survey Team ( UCDC); Glamis Dunes, 4 males, 16 July 1977, R. Dull ( LACM); Glamis, 1 mi. N, 1 female, 28.Apr.1972, 1 female, 30.Mar.1977, J. Doyen and D. Veirs ( KAWC); Glamis, 2.2 mi SE, 1 female 6 males, 25–26.Sep.1993, R.R. Snelling ( LACM); Glamis, 3 mi. N, 4 males, 15–16.Sep.1972, M.S. Wasbauer and A. Hardy ( KAWC); Glamis, 5 mi SW, 1 female, 5 males, 23.Jul.2005, K.A. Williams ( EMUS); Glamis, 5.6 rd mi NW, 270’, 1 male, 13 Sept 1986, J.P. and K.E. Donahue ( LACM); Glamis, 7.5 km N, 1 male, 11–15.Sep.2008, L. Kimsey, R. Kimsey, and T. Zavortink ( UCDC); Glamis, 8 km S, 4 males, 11–15.Sep.2008, L. Kimsey, R. Kimsey, and T. Zavortink ( UCDC).

Distribution. Western Sonoran Desert in southern California.

Remarks. This species is active both during daylight hours and at night, and is endemic to the Algodones Sand Dunes and can also be found in Palo Verde, CA, which is just south of Blythe. Dasymutilla arenivaga is morphologically similar to D. nocturna , differing only in coloration of dorsal setae in both sexes, shape of mesosoma in females, and color of wings in males. This is suggestive and these two species may be synonymized in the future. Dasymutilla arenivaga lives throughout southern California and western Arizona, surrounding the limited range of D. nocturna .

Figures

FIGURES 47 – 55. Habitus, lateral view. Dasymutilla atricuada, 47. female and 48. male; D. gloriosa, 49. female and 50. male; D. imperialis, 51. male; D. magnifica, 52. female and 53. male; and D. nocturna, 54. female and 55. male.