Timulla vagans ( Fabricius, 1798 )

Waldren, George C., 2024, Taxonomic notes on velvet ants of the genus Timulla Ashmead, 1899 (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) in the United States of America and Canada, Insecta Mundi 2024 (55), pp. 1-10 : 14-15

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.12519968

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:891E0C92-B8BF-4487-84D4-42EB2254AF4A

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/A8346918-9158-1351-FF30-44B6FD21FF3F

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Timulla vagans ( Fabricius, 1798 )
status

 

Timulla vagans ( Fabricius, 1798)

( Fig. 7 and 8 View Figures 1–8 )

Mutilla vagans Fabricius 1798: 282 . Type ♀ (NHMD).

Mutilla hexagona Say 1836: 295 . Type ♂ (lost or destroyed; refer to Mawdsley (1993)). Junior subjective synonym of Timulla (Timulla) vagans ( Fabricius, 1798) according to Mickel (1937a: 66).

Mutilla ornativentris Cresson 1865: 438 . Holotype ♀ (ANSP). Junior subjective synonym of Timulla (Timulla) vagans ( Fabricius, 1798) according to Mickel (1937a: 66).

Mutilla Briaxus Blake 1871: 277 . Type ♂ (ANSP). Junior subjective synonym of Timulla (Timulla) vagans ( Fabricius, 1798) according to Mickel (1937a: 66).

Mutilla Canadensis Provancher 1887: 250 . Type ♂ (ULQC, missing; refer to Gahan and Rohwer (1918: 103)). Junior primary homonym of Mutilla canadensis Blake, 1871 according to Dalla Torre (1897: 84). Junior subjective synonym of Timulla (Timulla) vagans ( Fabricius, 1798) according to Mickel (1937a: 66).

Mutilla secunda Dalla Torre 1897: 84 . New name for Mutilla canadensis Provancher, 1889 due to being preoccupied by Mutilla canadensis Blake, 1871 as a junior primary homonym. Junior subjective synonym of Timulla (Timulla) vagans ( Fabricius, 1798) according to Mickel (1937a: 66).

Timulla (Timulla) vagans rufinota Mickel 1937a: 78 . Holotype ♂ and allotype ♀ [in copula] (NMNH). New synonym.

Timulla (Timulla) huntleyensi [sic]: Mickel 1937a: 10. Misspelling.

Timulla (Timulla) huntleyensis Mickel 1937a: 82 . Holotype ♂ (UMSP). New synonym.

Remarks. Mickel (1937a) described Timulla vagans rufinota Mickel, 1937 as follows: “Male.—Exactly like vagans except the pronotum and mesonotum entirely and the propodeum more or less, ferruginous. Length, 17 mm. Female.—Indistinguishable from vagans . Length, 9 mm.” The holotype and allotype are a pair that was collected practicing phoretic copulation, which is how Mickel was able compare the female of T. vagans rufinota with those of T. vagans vagans despite them being indistinguishable. Additionally, at the time of description, T. vagans rufinota was known only from Florida, while T. vagans vagans ( Fabricius, 1798) was known from states besides Florida ( Mickel 1937a). The two subspecies of T. vagans are represented in Fig. 7 View Figures 1–8 and Fig. 8 View Figures 1–8 . New specimens have been discovered that challenge the geographic distinction between these subspecies. Specimens of both T. vagans rufinota and T. vagans vagans have been collected in Ames, Iowa and Fort Knox, Kentucky. Further, there is another specimen of T. vagans rufinota collected from the vicinity of Spring Green, Wisconsin, which is well inside the range of T. vagans vagans and far from the original known distribution of Florida ( Mickel 1937a). Based on these subspecies being structurally identical and there being no geographic distinction between them, Timulla vagans rufinota Mickel, 1937 is here considered a new synonym of Timulla vagans ( Fabricius, 1798) .

Another taxon described by Mickel (1937a), Timulla huntleyensis Mickel, 1937 , was considered as related to Timulla grotei ( Blake, 1871) due to their similarity in coloration: both species have the metasomal segments covered with fulvous (i.e., orange-red) setae. Mickel (1937a) differentiated the two species in T. huntleyensis having “larger ocelli, the hypopygial carinae dentiform posteriorly, more uniformly punctate second sternite, the black disk of second sternite and pale fuscous pubescence of the head and pronotum.” He also distinguished T. huntleyensis from Timulla suspensa sonora Mickel, 1937 “in the larger ocelli, darker pubescence of the head and pronotum, the greatly dilated scape with its dense brush of pubescence and the less developed lateral tubercles of the seventh sternite.” Another species, Timulla vagan s ( Fabricius, 1798), also differs from T. grotei and T. suspensa sonora in all of the characters Mickel used to distinguish T. huntleyensis from these two species (except for the black S2). The only apparent difference between T. huntleyensis and T. vagans is the coloration of the metasomal setae: orange-red in T. huntleyensis and blackish in T. vagans . Further, T. huntleyensis has most of S2 with blackish cuticle and T. vagans has S2 with orange-red cuticle.

The holotype of T. huntleyensis was collected in Huntley, Montana on August 23, 1915 along with four males of T. vagans . These T. vagans males do not differ in structure from T. huntleyensis . Additionally, one male of T. huntleyensis and two males of T. vagans were collected in Harrison, Nebraska on August 13, 1962 from the same collecting event. Additionally, one male of T. huntleyensis and one male of T. vagans were both collected from Long Island, New York in 1929. A fourth specimen of T. huntleyensis is known from Morill, Nebraska and a fifth specimen from Burrville, Tennessee. Based on the collection of both T. huntleyensis and T. vagans males in three different states at the same time and place, on being identical in structure, in having setal color differences similar to that observed in T. barbigera (orange-red to black setae), and in having S2 coloration differences similar to that observed in T. suspensa (blackish to orange-red cuticle), Timulla huntleyensis Mickel, 1937 is here considered a new synonym of Timulla vagans ( Fabricius, 1798) .

Material examined ( Timulla huntleyensis ) ( 5 ♂). Holotype: USA: Montana: Yellowstone Co.: Huntley, 23.Aug.1915 (1♂ – UMSP). Non-type (s): Nebraska: Scotts Bluff Co. : Morrill, 07.Aug.1930, D.B. Whelan (1♂ – UNSM); Sioux Co. : Harrison, 7 mi. N, 13.Aug.1962, J.G. & B.L. Rozen, “collected on Helianthus ” (1♂ – AMNH). New York: Unknown: Long Island , 1929 (1♂ – INHS – INHS 209,995 About INHS ). Tennessee: Morgan Co. : Burrville, 17.Aug.1952, B. Benesh (1♂ – FMNH).

Material examined ( Timulla vagans rufinota ) (8 ♂ and 1 ♀). Holotype and allotype: USA: Florida: Leon Co.: Centerville, 20. Jul. , Hubbard , “taken in copulation” (1♂ 1♀ [in copula]– NMNH – USNMENT 01545788 View Materials ). Non-type (s): USA: Iowa: Story Co. : Ames , 22.Jul.1962 (5♂ – UMRM). Kentucky: Hardin Co. : Fort Knox , 15.Jul.1952, R.D. Alexander (1♂ – UMMZ). Wisconsin: Sauk Co. : Spring Green Prairie /TNC, N of Spring Green, 43.199320°N 90.059220°W, 01–07.Aug.2003, C.M. Brabant, “ unbaited Townes Malaise trap in sand/oak barrens” (1♂ – WIRC). Material examined ( Timulla vagans vagans ) (18 ♂). Non-type (s): USA: Iowa: Story Co. : Ames , 05.Aug.1939, W. Buren (2♂ – EMUS) GoogleMaps ; 12.Aug.1939, W. Buren (1♂ – EMUS) ; 13.Aug.1939, W. Buren (1♂ – EMUS) ; 01.Aug.1940, W. Buren (1♂ – EMUS). Kentucky: Hardin Co.: Fort Knox, 21.Jun.1953, R.D. Alexander (1♂ – OSUC – OSUC 0098590 View Materials ; 1♂ – CASC) 03.Jul.1953, R.D. Alexander (2♂ – OSUC – OSUC 0098591 View Materials , OSUC 0098592 View Materials ). USA: Montana: Yellowstone Co. : Huntley , 23.Aug.1915 (4♂ – MTEC) ; 18.Aug.1942, C.R. Hunt, “on potatoes” (1♂ – MTEC) ; 23.Jul.1917 (1♂ – WFBM) ; 23.Aug.1915 (1♂ – WFBM). Nebraska: Sioux Co.: Harrison, 7 mi. N, 13.Aug.1962, J.G. & B.L. Rozen, “collected on Helianthus ” (2♂ – AMNH). New York: Unknown : Long Island , 1929 (1♂ – INHS – INHS 210,018 About INHS ) .

In total, 1248 ♂ and 1562 ♀ of Timulla vagans ( Fabricius, 1798) were examined ( AMNH, AUEM, BPBPM, CASC, CLEV, CMNH, CNC, CSCA, CSUC, CUIC, DEBU, DGMC, EMEC, EMUS, ENMU, ESUW, FHSM, FMNH, FSCA, GCWC, INHS, ISUI, KSUC, LSAM, MCZ, MEM, MSBA, MSUC, MTEC, NCSM, NHMD, NMNH, NMSU, OMNH, OSAC, OSEC, OSUC, PMAE, PMNH, PSUC, PERC, ROME, SDMC, SDSU, SEMC, SFAC, SHSU, TAMU, UAAM, UAIC, UCDC, UCFC, UCMC, UCMS, UCRC, UGCA, UKIC, UMMZ, UMRM, UNSM, UTIC, VTEC, WFBM, WIRC, WSU).

UMSP

University of Minnesota Insect Collection

UNSM

University of Nebraska State Museum

AMNH

American Museum of Natural History

INHS

Illinois Natural History Survey

FMNH

Field Museum of Natural History

NMNH

Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History

UMRM

W.R. Enns Entomology Museum

UMMZ

University of Michigan, Museum of Zoology

OSUC

Oregon State University

MTEC

Montana State Entomology Collection

WFBM

W.F. Barr Entomological Collection

AUEM

Auburn University Entomological Museum

CLEV

Cleveland Museum of Natural History

CMNH

The Cleveland Museum of Natural History

CNC

Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids, and Nematodes

CSCA

California State Collection of Arthropods

CSUC

California State University, Chico, Vertebrate Museum

CUIC

Cornell University Insect Collection

DEBU

Ontario Insect Collection, University of Guelph

EMEC

Essig Museum of Entomology

ENMU

Eastern New Mexico University, Natural History Museum

ESUW

University of Wyoming Insect Museum and Gallery

FHSM

Fort Hays Sternberg Museum

FSCA

Florida State Collection of Arthropods, The Museum of Entomology

ISUI

Iowa State University

KSUC

Museum of Entomological and Prairie Arthropod Research, Kansas State University

LSAM

Louisiana State Arthropod Museum

MCZ

Museum of Comparative Zoology

NCSM

North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

OMNH

Osaka Museum of Natural History

OSAC

Oregon State Arthropod Collection

OSEC

K.C Emerson Museum

PMNH

Peabody Museum of Natural History

PSUC

Frost Entomological Museum, Penn State University

ROME

Royal Ontario Museum - Entomology

SDSU

Severin-McDaniel Insect Collection

SEMC

University of Kansas - Biodiversity Institute

SFAC

Stephen F. Austin State University

SHSU

Sam Houston State University, Vertebrate Natural History Collection

UAAM

The Arthropod Museum, University of Arkansas

UAIC

University of Alabama, Ichthyological Collection

UCDC

R. M. Bohart Museum of Entomology

UCFC

University of Central Florida

UCMC

University of Colorado Museum

UCMS

University of Connecticut Biodiversity Research Collections

UCRC

University of California, Riverside

WSU

Weber State University, Bird and Mammal Collection

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Mutillidae

Genus

Timulla

Loc

Timulla vagans ( Fabricius, 1798 )

Waldren, George C. 2024
2024
Loc

Timulla (Timulla) vagans rufinota

Mickel CE 1937: 78
1937
Loc

Timulla (Timulla) huntleyensi

Mickel CE 1937: 10
1937
Loc

Timulla (Timulla) huntleyensis

Mickel CE 1937: 82
1937
Loc

Mutilla Canadensis Provancher 1887: 250

Mickel CE 1937: 66
Gahan AB & Rohwer SA 1918: 103
Dalla Torre, KW 1897: 84
1918
Loc

Mutilla secunda

Mickel CE 1937: 66
Dalla Torre, KW 1897: 84
1897
Loc

Mutilla Briaxus Blake 1871: 277

Mickel CE 1937: 66
Blake CA 1871: 277
1871
Loc

Mutilla ornativentris

Mickel CE 1937: 66
Cresson ET 1865: 438
1865
Loc

Mutilla hexagona

Mickel CE 1937: 66
Say T. 1836: 295
1836
Loc

Mutilla vagans

Fabricius JC 1798: 282
1798
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