Dasymutilla birkmani Melander 1903
Creators: name: Williams, Kevin A.
name: Manley, Donald G.
name: Deyrup, Mark
name: Dohlen, Carol Von
name: Pitts, James P.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2012
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Mutillidae
Dasymutilla
Dasymutilla birkmani

description: Dasymutilla birkmani (Melander 1903)
(Figs 6, 7, 11, 16, 26, 27, 44–47)
Mutilla Birkmani Melander 1903. Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc. 29: 313. Lectotype (designated by Mickel, 1928 by referencing the “ type ” [Art. 74.5, ICZN, 1999]), Ƥ, Fedor, Lee County, Tex[as], G. Birkman (MCZC).
Dasymutilla corcyra Mickel, 1928. U. S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 143: 180. Holotype, Ƥ, Rock Island, Tex[as], Skull Creek, July 25, 1922, Grace O. Wiley (UMSP)., syn. nov.
Dasymutilla arcana Mickel, 1928. U. S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 143: 217. Holotype, 3, Lee County, Texas, June 8, 1906, J. Bequaert (SEMC), syn. nov.
Dasymutilla reclusa Mickel, 1928. U. S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 143: 219. Holotype, 3, Halsey, Nebr., August 29, 1924, R. W. Dawson (UMSP).
Dasymutilla birkmani Melander: Pilgrim et al. 2008. Pan-Pacific Ent., 84: 64, 3 Ƥ.
Diagnosis. FEMALE. This species varies greatly and can be difficult to separate from D. monticola. In all examined specimens, the first flagellar segment is only slightly longer than the second and the propodeum has a thick brush of silver or golden setae (Figs 11, 16). Most specimens have the anterior portion of the mesosoma clothed with dark brown or black setae dorsally (Figs 11, 16); these differ from D. monticola, which has the entire mesosoma clothed with golden setae (Fig. 19). In the few specimens of D. birkmani that have the mesosoma clothed entirely with golden setae, the apical fringe of T2 is broadly silver with only a slight spot of black setae medially (as in Figs 9–11); D. monticola has the fringe of T2 clothed mostly with black setae medially (Fig. 19). MALE. The male of this species can be separated from other Dasymutilla by the following combination of characters: there is no seta-filled pit on S2, there are scattered silver or gray setae on the apical terga, and the cuspis is more than 0.8x the free paramere length (Figs 44, 45).
Description of male genitalia (Figs 44–47). Free length of paramere dorsally curved apically, with ventral brush of long dense setae basally, remainder having scattered short sparse setae; paramere laterally kinked in basal 0.2, apices noticeably divergent. Cuspis slightly laterally compressed, tapering apically, ~0.85 × free-length of paramere, having sparse short setae throughout, except outer surface having longer denser setae; outer row of setae anteriorly directed, inner row posteriorly directed. Densely setose basal lobe present. Digitus laterally curved internally, tapering slightly at apex, asetose, ~0.4 × free-length of paramere. Penial valve emarginated anterodorsally, ventral margin bidentate apically, teeth separated, unidentate medially; having longitudinal row of setae at apex and subapically on external margin.
Length. Females: 3.5– 9 mm; males: 5.5– 10 mm.
Host. Unknown.
Distribution. This species is widespread in the central and western United States.
Material examined. Type material. Holotypes: Dasymutilla corcyra, USA: Texas, [Colorado Co.], Rock Island, Skull Creek, 1Ƥ, 25.VII.1922, G.O. Wiley (UMSP); Dasymutilla arcana, USA: Texas, Lee Co., 13, 8.VI.1906, J. Bequaert (SEMC); Dasymutilla reclusa, USA: Nebraska, [Thomas Co.], Halsey, 13, 29.VIII.1924, R.W. Dawson (UMSP); Lectotypes: Mutilla Birkmani, USA, Texas, Lee Co., Fedor, 1Ƥ, G. Birkman (MCZC); Paralectotypes, Mutilla Birkmani, USA, Texas, Lee Co., Fedor, 4Ƥ, G. Birkman (MCZC). Other material. USA, Colorado: Sedgwick Co., 2.5 km S Julesburg, 20–27.VIII.2001, M.E. Irwin et al. (D. corcyra, EMUS); Yuma Co., Bonny State Park, 3Ƥ53, 22.VI.2011, K.A. Williams (EMUS); Kansas: Ellsworth Co., Kanopolis State Park, 2Ƥ43, 22.VI.2011, K.A. Williams (EMUS); Morton Co., Cimarron National Grassland, 1Ƥ, 7.VI.2009, K.A. Williams (EMUS); Sheridan Co., Sheridan Lake, 13, J.M. Carpenter (MCZC); Wallace Co., Wallace, 33, 2.VII.1933 (EMUS, UNSM); Nebraska: Keith Co.: Lake McConaughy, West Arthur Bay, 15.VI.2003, R. & J. Matthews (EMUS); 6 mi N Paxton, 23, 5.VI.1972, R.M. Miller (Iowa State); Texas: Austin Co., Stephen F. Austin State Park, Sealy, 33, 14.V.1968, H. Evans & O. Flint (D. arcana, MCZC); Brazos Co., Lick Creek Park, 6 km SE College Station, 3Ƥ, 11.VI.2009, K.A. Williams (EMUS); Comanche Co., Comanche, 13, 26.VII.1953, Evans, Lin, & Yoshimoto (MCZC); Lee Co., Fedor, 13, 17.VI.1909, Birkman (MCZC); Jim Wells Co., 8 mi W BenBolt, La Copita Research Station, 13, 20.V.1987, J.B. Woolley (D. arcana, TAMU); Kleberg Co., 32 km SE Kingsville: 13, 30.IV.1985, W.J. Pulawski (EMUS); 13, 3.V.1985, W.J. Pulawski (D. arcana, EMUS); La Salle Co., Chaparral Wildlife Management Area, 1Ƥ, 19–21.V.2006, J.S. Wilson & K.A. Williams (EMUS); Madison Co., Trinity River, 7 km E Midway, 11Ƥ, 23.VIII.2008, T.R. Clifton (EMUS); Potter Co., Red River on Hwy 287, 25 km N Amarillo, 3Ƥ13, 7.VI.2009, K.A. Williams (EMUS); San Patricio Co., Arkansas River, 16 km NE Sinton, 1Ƥ, 12.V.1985, W.J. Pulawski (EMUS); Somervell Co., Dinosaur Valley State Park, 1Ƥ, 17.V.1985, W.J. Pulawski (EMUS); Wyoming: Platte Co., Guernsey, 1Ƥ23, 6.VIII.2002, Williams (EMUS). Over 50 additional specimens from across the range of this species (USA: CO, KS, NE, OK, TX) were examined (CISC, CUIC, SEMC, TAMU, UMMZ).
Remarks. Molecular sequence data from ITS1 and ITS2 were used previously to associate D. birkmani females with males (formerly D. reclusa; Pilgrim et al., 2008). Our study has found two more species that appear to be conspecific with D. birkmani. Specimens identified as Dasymutilla arcana and D. corcyra are recovered within a clade that includes seven females and one male identified as D. birkmani (Fig. 73). The relationships between D.
corcyra, D. arcana, and two clades of D. birkmani are unresolved or poorly supported, but both male specimens of D. arcana have identical ITS1 and ITS2 sequences to one of the D. birkmani females (JP1885).
The only diagnostic character separating D. arcana from males of D. birkmani is the metasomal coloration, where D. arcana has S2 red and D. birkmani has S2 black. Multiple Dasymutilla species, including D. quadriguttata (Pilgrim et al., 2009), D. bioculata (Williams et al., 2011), and D. vesta (Mickel, 1928), are dimorphic for this character. Males of D. arcana and D. birkmani also have identical genitalia (Figs 44–47).
Mickel separated D. corcyra (Fig. 7) from D. birkmani females by the presence of tubercles on the posterolateral head margins (Mickel, 1928). All female specimens of D. birkmani, however, have variably angulate posterolateral head margins and the posterior head margin virtually flat or concave (Fig. 6). Specimens of D. corcyra are typically larger (7.5– 9 mm, mean=8.3, n=6) than those of D. birkmani (3.5–8.5 mm, mean=5.4, n=40); hypothetically, the magnitude of head tubercles may be correlated with body size and not species divergence. Although not to this extent, intraspecific variation in head tubercle structure has also been observed in D. quadriguttata (Pilgrim et al., 2009).
Dasymutilla arcana, D. birkmani, and D. corcyra also have broadly overlapping geographic ranges in the central USA. Based on phylogenetic affinities, morphological similarities, and overlapping distributions, we place D. arcana and D. corcyra as junior synonyms of D. birkmani.
description: Published as part of Williams, Kevin A., Manley, Donald G., Deyrup, Mark, Dohlen, Carol Von & Pitts, James P., 2012, Systematic review of the Dasymutilla monticola species-group (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae): using phylogenetics to address species-group placement and sex associations, pp. 1-29 in Zootaxa 3554 on pages 12-14, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.213054