Odontophotopsis microdonta Ferguson, 1967

Wilson, Joseph S., 2017, Nocturnal Velvet Ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) of Joshua Tree National Park, Riverside County, California with the description of three new species, Zootaxa 4319 (2), pp. 329-367 : 341-342

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4319.2.4
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1Ecf4C4A-09Ca-42B4-A105-67Dec7863Fe5
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6032601
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/ED726D24-FFA7-FFC7-FF5F-F8FCFC0A3F5C
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Odontophotopsis microdonta Ferguson, 1967
status

Treatment

Odontophotopsis (Odontophotopsis) microdonta Ferguson, 1967 . Brigham Young Univ. Sci., Bul., Ser. 8, no. 4: 22. ♂. Holotype data: Nevada, Nye County, 5 mi. NNW Mercury ( NMNH).

Diagnosis of male. This species has a head that is rounded posteriorly, deeply excised mandibles that are slightly dilated apically (see Boehme et al. 2012: Fig. 14 View FIGURES 13 – 18 ), has a transverse clypeus that is slightly depressed below mandibular margins, but lacks a tubercle situated posteromedially on the clypeus, has a pair of denticulate mesosternal processes situated more laterally and posteriorly than in O. clypeata , has a shiny glabrous pygidium and the metasoma is usually castaneous, at least around the felt lines. Genitalia are illustrated in Boehme et al. (2012: Fig. 6 View FIGURES 5 – 8 ).

Female. Unknown.

Material examined. Holotype data: Nevada, Nye County, 5 mi. NNW Mercury , 25 Aug 1964, W. E. Ferguson ( NMNH) . JTNP: 18–21.Jul.2012: 64 ♂ N9; 22 ♂ N7; 62 ♂ N5; 41 ♂ N3; 10 ♂ N1; 16 ♂ T; 3 ♂ S1; 49 ♂ S3; 8 ♂ S5; 2 ♂ S7; 31 ♂ S9; 536 ♂ S11; 79 ♂ S13; 29 ♂ S18. 26–28.Aug.2012: 7 ♂ N9; 21 ♂ N7; 2 ♂ N5; 67 ♂ N3; 1 ♂ N1; 3 ♂ S1; 4 ♂ S3; 1 ♂ S5; 2 ♂ S7; 1 ♂ S9; 23 ♂ S11; 50 ♂ S13; 14 ♂ S18. 22–24.Sep.2012: 8 ♂ N9; 10 ♂ N7; 10 ♂ N5; 17 ♂ N3; 11 ♂ N1; 3 ♂ T; 7 ♂ S1; 142 ♂ S3; 14 ♂ S5; 7 ♂ S7; 10 ♂ S9; 154 ♂ S11; 157 ♂ S13; 91 ♂ S18. 26–28.Oct.2012: 1 ♂ S9; 1 ♂ S11.

Distribution. USA (Arizona, California, and Nevada).

Activity. This species is seemingly active throughout the season at JTNP.

Remarks. This species was first described by Ferguson (1967) from the NTS and is most abundant in the Mojave Desert (e.g. Wilson et al. 2010; Boehme et al. 2012). At JTNP, this species was the most abundant species ( Table 2 & 3). This species is a member of the O. melicausa species-group.