Sphaeropthalma macswaini Ferguson

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 : 24-25

Sphaeropthalma macswaini Ferguson

Sphaeropthalma (Micromutilla) macswaini Ferguson, 1967 . Brigham Young Univ. Sci. Bul., Biol. Ser. 8, no. 4: 12. Male. Holotype data: 2.1 mi NE Mercury, Nye Co., Nevada, 24.Aug.1964, W.E. Ferguson (NMNH).

Diagnosis of male. This species has distinctive tridentate mandibles that are deeply excised ventrally and the apex is vertical and greatly dilated, which is similar to species of Acrophotopsis and Dilophotopsis , but more so that other species at Deep Canyon. Additionally, the clypeus is distinctly elongate and projects anteriorly ( Fig. 24 ) and the genitalia have a distinctively shaped curved cuspis that bears a large seta filled pit ( Fig. 58 ). This species sometimes has weak mesosternal processes located anteromedially.

Female. Unknown.

Material examined. California, Riverside Co.: Deep Canyon, 1 male, 2. May.1963, 1 male, 4– 6. May.1970, 1 male, 15. May.1969, 1 male, 15–18. May.1970, 2 males, 15–23. May.1970, 5 males, 22– 23. May.2007, 15 males, 23–24. May.2007, 2 males, 1–4. Jun.1970, 1 male, 6–13. Jun.1969, 7 males, 13– 18. Jun.1969, 5 males, 18–19. Jun.1969, 1 male, 27–28. Jun.1969, 1 male, 30. Jun.1964, 1 male, 29.Jun– 6. Jul.1973, 2 males, 5–13. Jul.1973, 4 males, 13–14. Jul.1969, 5 males, 30–31. Jul.2007, 2 males, 26.Jul– 3. Aug.1969, 10 males, 3–7. Aug. 1969, 2 males, 7–9. Aug.1969, 2 males, 9–11. Aug.1969, 5 males, 10– 12. Aug.1969, 3 males, 12–13. Aug.1969, 7 males, 16–17. Aug.1969, 3 males, 23–24. Aug.1969, 2 males, 26– 28. Aug.1969, 1 male, 28–30.Aug. 19695 males, 26.Sep–6. Oct.1969, 2 males, 5–9. Oct.1969, 1 male, 6– 8. Oct.1969, 1 male, 9.Oct.1963.

Distribution. Sonoran and Mojave Deserts.

Remarks. Pitts (2007) erroneously stated in the key to the nocturnal genera that the clypeus of S. macswaini covered the mandibles. The clypeus of this species is diagnostic. However, it is elongate and the extreme apex overlies the greatly dilated and deeply excised mandibles, but does not obscure them.

Figures

FIGURES 13 – 24. Head, anterior view; except ventral view 17. 13. Odontophotopsis serca; 14. O. setifera; 15. Sphaeropthalma. amphion; 16. S. angulifera; 17. S. angulifera; 18. S. arota; 19. S. becki; 20. S. blakeii; 21. S. difficilis; 22. S. ferruginea; 23. S. ignacio; and 24. S. macswaini.

FIGURES 49 – 58. Acanthophotopsis falciformis: 49. Genitalia, lateral view (from Tanner & Pitts 2009). Dilophotopsis paron: 50. Genitalia, ventral, dorsal, inner lateral view, and lateral view of penis valve; and 51. Mesosoma, oblique ventral view (from Wilson & Pitts 2008). Sphaeropthalma amphion: 52. Genitalia, dorsal, inner lateral view, and lateral view of penis valve (from Pitts et al. 2004). Sphaeropthalma angulifera: 53. Genitalia, dorsal, inner lateral view, and lateral view of penis valve (from Wilson & Pitts 2009). Mandible, anterior view: 54. Sphaeropthalma angulifera; and 55. Sphaeropthalma mendica (from Wilson & Pitts 2009). Sphaeropthalma ferruginea: 56. Genitalia, ventral view left, dorsal view right. Sphaeropthalma ignacio: 57. Genitalia, ventral view left, dorsal view right. Sphaeropthalma macswaini: 56. Genitalia, inner lateral view left.