Sphaeropthalma fergusoni

Pitts, James P., Wilson, Joseph S., Williams, Kevin A. & Boehme, Nicole F., 2010, Nocturnal velvet ant males (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) of Deep Canyon, California including four new species and a fifth new species from Owens Lake Valley, California, Zootaxa 2553, pp. 1-34 : 31

The Sphaeropthalma fergusoni species-group

Diagnosis. Members of this species-group can be recognized by mandibular morphology in which the apex of the mandible is tridentate and almost horizontal, and the ventral margin is not excised and has a weak angulate tooth. This species group also has the apical margin of the clypeus thickened and for one species dorsally bent forming a flange. Lastly, the genitalia are distinctive with the cuspis being elongate, cylindrical basally but spatulate apically, the dorsal face has a central longitudinal swelling, while the ventral face is slightly concave, and the inner margin has a deep ventral notch anterior to spatulate area making the apex of the cuspis appear mitten-shaped when viewed dorsally.

Included species. Sphaeropthalma arnalduri Pitts and S. fergusoni Pitts.

Remarks. Due to the quadrate condition of the head, the weak tooth on the ventral margin of the mandible, the fact that one species has dentate hind coxae, and similarities in genitalia, this species-group is likely most closely related to S. blakeii and S. cexyoides .