Odontophotopsis melicausa (Blake)

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 : 11

Odontophotopsis melicausa (Blake)

Agama melicausa Blake, 1871 . Amer. Ent. Soc., Trans. 3: 261. Male. Holotype data: Texas, Belfrage (ANSP). Mutilla brevicornis Fox, 1899 . Amer. Ent. Soc., Trans. 25: 255. Male. Holotype data: Texas (ANSP). Odontophotopsis mellicornis Baker, 1905 . Invertebrata Pacifica 1: 96. Male. Holotype data: Ormsby Co., Nevada

(CUIC).

Diagnosis of male. This species has a head that is quadrate posteriorly, deeply excised mandibles that are distinctly dilated towards the vertical apex ( Fig. 11 ; see Fig. 44 in Pitts et al. 2009)), lacks a tubercle situated posteromedially on the clypeus, has a pair of denticulate mesosternal processes, and has a shiny glabrous pygidium. The genitalia are illustrated in Fig. 13 of Pitts et al. (2009).

Diagnosis of female. A diagnosis of this female is provided in Pitts et al. (2007).

Material examined. California, Riverside Co., Deep Canyon: 1 male, 1–4. Jun.1970, 1 male, 28.Jul– 17. Aug.1973, 1 male, 17–30. Jul.1973, 1 male, 9. Oct.1963, 2 males, 25.Oct.1969.

Distribution. Central and Western USA into northern Mexico.

Remarks. This species ranges throughout the Great Plains and the western USA. It usually makes up a major portion of the fauna, but seems to be rare at Deep Canyon, although this could be a function of timing of collections given that in southern Nevada it is more prevalent later in the summer and fall.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 12. Head, anterior view. 1. Acanthophotopsis falciformis; 2. Acrophotopsis campylognatha; 3. Odontophotopsis acmaea; 4. O. armata; 5. O. aufidia; 6. O. bellona; 7. O. biramosa; 8. O. clypeata; 9. O. inconspicua; 10. O. mamata; 11. O. melicausa; and 12. O. quadrispinosa.

FIGURES 44 – 48. Sphaeropthalma mankelli, sp. nov.: 44. Head, anterior view; 45. Habitus; and 46. Apex of wing. Acrophotopsis campylognatha: 47. genitalia, dorsal view (scale 0.5 mm) and 48. Close up of cuspis (scale 0.2 mm) (Fig. 47. from Pitts & McHugh 2002).

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.