Dasymutilla araneoides ( Smith, 1862 )

Cambra, Roberto A., Williams, Kevin A., Quintero, Diomedes, Windsor, Donald M., Pickering, John & Saavedra, Daisy, 2018, Dasymutilla Ashmead (Hymenoptera, Mutillidae) in Panama: new species, sex associations and seasonal flight activity, Insecta Mundi 608, pp. 1-17 : 5-6

Dasymutilla araneoides ( Smith, 1862)

( Fig. 2–4 , 23 )

Mutilla araneoides Smith 1862: 35 , holotype female, Panama, BMNH. Mickel (1964): combination under Dasymutilla .

Sphaerophthalma [sic] temaxensis Cameron 1895: 355 , holotype female, Mexico, Temax, N. Yucatan, BMNH. Mickel (1964): combination under Dasymutilla and subspecies rank. New synonymy.

Sphaerophthalma [sic] melanogaster Cameron 1895: 373 , holotype male, North Yucatan, Mexico, BMNH. Quintero and Cambra (2001): synonymy, biology and distribution.

Dasymutilla deyrollesi Mickel 1937: 190 , holotype male, Mexico, USNM. New synonymy.

Diagnosis. FEMALE. This common species can be recognized by its unique coloration ( Fig. 2 ), specifically the head and pronotum are clothed with white to orange setae; the propodeum has lateral patches of whitish setae; T2 has lateral patches of white setae; and T3–4 each have a medially interrupted band of white setae. The following diagnostic characters are also useful: the antennal scrobe has a distinct dorsal carina; the gena is carinate; the posterolateral margin of the head is unarmed; the tibial spurs are black; and the mesosoma has a distinct scutellar scale with an irregular arcuate transverse carina anterior to the scale. MALE. This species is similar in color and structure to D. sicheliana (Saussure, 1868) , and thus far can be differentiated only by its southern Neotropical distribution and in having the lateral areas of T2 and S2 blackened ( Fig. 4 ). The following characters are useful for diagnosis: the clypeus is bidentate anteriorly; the axillae are broad and have a truncate face posteriorly; the tibial spurs are black; the body is black and clothed with black or white setae, except metasomal segments 2–5 are predominantly reddish and clothed with reddish setae; S2 has a medial seta-filled pit; and the hypopygium is not margined laterally by a sharp carina.

Distribution. Mexico to Colombia.

Material examined ( MIUP except where noted). PANAMA: Panamá Province: Chorrera , El Limón, 30.iv–8.v.2011, M. Franco, 3m (1m, CDFA) . Colón Province: Santa Rita , 22.xii.1997, D. Quintero, 1f ; San Lorenzo , 4.xii.2003, P. González, 1f. Veraguas Province: Bahía Honda , 28.v–2.vi.2002, R. Cambra & A. Santos, 2f (1f, CDFA) . Coclé Province: El Roble, 25.ii.1998, L. De Gracia, 1f. Herrera Province: El Montuoso, 900m, 15–18.v.2007, D. Curoe, 1f. Los Santos Province: Los Guabos , 11.ii.1999. J. Bernal, 1f. COSTA RICA ( INBio): Guanacaste Province: Est. Murciélago , 8 km SW de Cuajiniquil, P.N. Guanacaste, 100m, 16.vi–4.vii.1993, C. Cano, 2f; 6–24.i.1994, F. Quesada, 2f; 6–7.xii.1993, 1f; 10–20

Nov 1993; Fca. Jenny, 30 km N de Liberia, P.N. Guanacaste, 27–29.v.1993, E. Araya, 3f; 5–20.ix.1993, E. Araya, 1f; 16.x–10.xi.1991, 3f; 20.viii–12.ix. 1992, 1m; 6–15.xi.1993, E. Araya, 4f; 16–23.vi.1993, 1f; 16–20.v.1994, 5f; 7–28.vi.1994, 6f; 20–27.iii.1993, 3f; 9–14.v.1993, 1f; 18–25.iv.1993, 2f; 5–26.viii. 1993, 300 m, 1f; Playa Naranjo , Sta. Rosa, P.N. Guanacaste, xii.1990, 5f; Los Almendros, P.N. Guanacaste, 28.iii–24. iv.1992, G. Gallardo, 4f; 28.vii–14.viii.1992, E. Lopez, 1f; 23.x–13.xi.1992, E. Lopez, 1f; 3–25.x. 1993, 300 m, E. Lopez, 1f; 10–30.iii.1993, E. Lopez, 1f; 13.x–3.xi.1993, K. Martinez, 1f; 3–22.viii.1993, E. Lopez, 1f; Est. Palo Verde , 10 m, P.N. Palo Verde, 12–24.viii.1992, U. Chavarría, 1f; viii.1991, U. Chavarría, 1f; 7–11.vi. 1999, 10m, J. Jimenez, 1f; Est. Sta. Rosa, 300 m, iv.1989, 1f; i.1990, 2f; vii.1989, 1f; Est. Cacao, 1000–1400 m, SW ladera volcan Cacao , x.1989, R. Blanco, 1f; ix–xii.1989, B. Guadamuz, 1f; Est. Las Pailas , 800 m, P.N. Rincón de la Vieja, 27vii–5.viii.1992, C. Cano, 1f; 8–18.i.1992, C. Cano, 1f; 22.xi–29. xii.1992, J. Sihezar, 1f; Est. Maritza, 600 m ladera O volcan Orosi, 27.ii–10.iii.1992, K. Flores, 1f; 3 km NO de Nacaome , 100 m, P.N. Barra Honda, i.1993, M. Reyes, 1f; iii.1993, M.Reyes, 1f; 5–27.vii.1992, M. Reyes, 1f; Agua Buena, 220 m, P.N. Guanacaste, 24.viii–14.ix.1992, E. Lopez, 1f; A.C.G. La Cruz, P.N. Guanacaste, cerro El Hacha , 400m, ii.1988, J. Bustamante, 2f. Heredia Province : S. Rosa, S. Domingo, 31.iii.1993, 1200 m, M. Zumbado, 1f. Puntarenas Province: Aluvion R. Limón , Buenos Aires , A.C. Amistad, 100m, 16.v.1993, M.Zumbado, 1f; Vuelta Campana, R. Terraba, 100–500 m, Rey Curre , 3.vii–2. viii.1992, S. Rojas, 1f; 2–28.ii.1993, S. Rojas, 3f; Los Angeles, Baquera , 120m, 13.vi.1998, F. Alvarado, 1f. NICARAGUA: Masaya District, 5 km E. Masaya, 16.i.1994, V. den Berghe , 1f; Granada, volcan Mombacho, Sta. Ana , 600m, J. Maes, 15.ii. 1998, 1m; 16.iii. 1998, 1m; 15.v. 1998, 2m; San Juan del Sur, playa La Flor , 1–8.iv.2000, V. den Berghe , 34f, 1m. EL SALVADOR: Soyapango , 8.i.1988, 1f; CAPREX, 15.iii.1998, 1f; San Jacinto , 21.ii. 1988, 1m. GUATEMALA: Solola, San Marcos, La Laguna , 11.iv.1995, 1f; San Juan, Sacatepeque, Antiqua , 15.iii.1995, 1f; Zacapa, Teculután , 2.iv.1995, L. Morales, 1m.

Remarks. Quintero and Cambra (2001) present biological information for D. araneoides (host, habitat, mating behavior and adult feeding). In Panama (Playa Las Lajas, Chiriqui), Cambra and Quintero (unpublished) observed nest defense behavior from a female wasp Microbembex monodonta (Say) (Crabronidae) that was patrolling near her nest entrance. Next, the M. monodonta detected the presence of a female of D. araneoides approaching the entrance of her nest and flew quickly to the mutillid wasp, holding it with its legs, lifted the mutillid in flight, raising to about 15 cm from the sandy ground. Immediately, the mutillid was left to fall some 60 cm away from the site from which it was encountered. For the next 15 minutes the mutillid did not return to the entrance of the nest of M. monodonta . The synonymy of D. deyrollesi Mickel, 1937 is based on comparison of type specimens, coincidental distribution, and comments of Manley and Pitts (2007: 48). The formerly recognized subspecies, D. a. temaxensis, was separated from nominotypical D. araneoides females based on the size of the setal patches on T2 ( Manley and Pitts 2007). This character is notoriously variable in other species and forms a gradient within D. araneoides . Additionally, both former subspecies are widely distributed, co-occurring in Costa Rica, Mexico, and Panama ( Manley and Pitts 2007). Therefore, the designation of subspecies in D. araneoides is discontinued.

Figures

Figures 2–16. Dasymutilla species, habitus photographs.

Figures 23–28. Dasymutilla, right forewing. 23) D. araneoides. 24) D. colorado, sp. nov. 25) D. paradoxa. 26) D. phya. 27) D. pulchra. 28) D. spilota.