Dasymutilla macilenta Blake 1871
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 macilenta

description: Dasymutilla macilenta (Blake 1871)
(Figs 8, 18, 32, 56–59)
Mutilla (Sphaeropthalma) macilenta Blake, 1871. Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc. 3: 239. Holotype, 3: Texas. (ANSP). Dasymutilla (Dasymutilla) chattahoochei Bradley, 1916. Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc. 42: 324. Holotype, Ƥ: Bainbridge, Georgia (CUIC Type No. 114.1), syn. nov.
Diagnosis. FEMALE. The female of this species can be separated from other Dasymutilla by the following combination of characters: the lateral margin of the head behind the eye is virtually straight, leading into sharp tubercles on the postero-lateral margin of the head (Fig. 8); there are no transverse carinae anterior to the scutellar scale; the propodeum is covered with numerous small tubercles dorsally; the lateral face of the propodeum has sparse silver setae; and the apical fringe of T2 has a broad patch of black setae medially, occupying at least 0.25 × the tergal width. MALE. The male of this species can be separated from other Dasymutilla by the following combination of characters: there are silver setae on the apical terga, the propodeum is clothed with interspersed black and gray setae, there is a small seta-filled pit (ranging from subequal in size to a single puncture to three times larger than the typical surrounding punctures) on S2, the propodeum is moderately reticulate, and the cuspis is at least 0.65 × the free paramere length (Figs 56, 57).
Description of male genitalia (Figs 56–59). 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 0.3, apices noticeably divergent. Cuspis roughly cylindrical, ~0.7 × free-length of paramere, laterally curving with apices slightly divergent, having sparse short setae throughout. Densely setose basal lobe present. Digitus laterally curved internally, tapering slightly at apex, asetose, ~0.35 × 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: 4–8 mm; males: 4–8 mm.
Host. Unknown.
Distribution. This species is widespread in the southeastern USA.
Material examined. Type material. Holotypes: Mutilla (Sphaeropthalma) macilenta, USA: Texas, 13 (ANSP); Dasymutilla (Dasymutilla) chattahoochei, USA: Georgia, [Decatur Co.], Bainbridge, 1Ƥ, 15–27.VII.1909, J.C. Bradley (CUIC). Other material. USA: Alabama: Escambia Co., Escambia: 1Ƥ, 22.VII.1994 (EMUS); 1Ƥ, 8.VIII.1994 (EMUS). Russel Co., 8 mi NW Seale, 3Ƥ, 13.VI–24.X.1994, P. Kovarik (FSCA). Florida: Alachua Co.: Alachua, 13, 29.IV.1974, E.E. Grissell (UCDC); Austin Carey Forest, 13, 10.IX.1975, G.B. Fairchild (UCDC), Gainesville: 1Ƥ, 28.VIII.1960, P.N. Marsh (UCDC); 33, 6.V.1965, H.E. & M.A. Evans (CUIC); locality unknown: 2Ƥ, 4.VII.1955, H.V. Weems (FSCA); 1Ƥ, 16.VIII.1955, H.V. Weems (FSCA); 1Ƥ, 15.V.1955, H.V. Weems (FSCA); 1Ƥ, 8.VI.1954, H.V. Weems (EMUS); Brevard Co., Cocoa, 1Ƥ, VIII.1914, R.M. Bohart (UCDC); Citrus Co., 18 km NW Brooksville, 13, 11.V.2002, M.Deyrup & J. Mosely (ABSC); Clay Co.: Camp Crystal, 1Ƥ, 20.V.1961, H.V. Weems (FSCA); Gold Head Branch State Park, 1Ƥ, 26.IV.1971, Heinrich (ZMUC); Gadsen Co., Quincy, 1Ƥ, 20.V.1972, J.C. Reid (FSCA); Highlands Co., Highlands Hammock State Park, 1Ƥ, 16.IV.1966, H.V. Weems (FSCA); Hillsborough Co., Tampa, 1 Ƥ, 12.VIII.1949, D.J. Downes (FSCA); Lafayette Co., unknown city, 1Ƥ, 22.VII.1977, L. Davis (FSCA); Leon Co., Tall Timbers Research Station: 1Ƥ, 14–21.VIII.1972, D.L. Harris (FSCA); 1Ƥ, 4.VIII.1971, T.M. Neal (FSCA); Levy Co., 4 mi S Archer, 1Ƥ, 9–25.V.2000, P. Skelly (FSCA); unknown locality, 1Ƥ, VIII.1976 (FSCA); Marion Co., vic. Big Scrub, Ocala National Forest, 1Ƥ, 16.VI.1986, J. Powell (CISC); Okaloosa Co., 2 mi N Holt, 1Ƥ, 28.X.1983, L.A. Stange (FSCA); Orange Co., University of Central Florida campus, 4Ƥ13, 17.VI.2009, K.A. Williams & S. Kelly (EMUS); Walt Disney World, 1Ƥ, 18.VII.1995, Z. Prusak (FSCA); Palm Beach Co., Lion Country Safari, 2Ƥ, 1.VII.1989, M. Deyrup (ABSC); Polk Co., Lake Wales Ridge State Forest, 13, 1 –6.V.2009, M. Deyrup (EMUS); Putnam Co., Weems property, near Red Water Lake, 4Ƥ, 4.VII.1969, Heinrich (ZMUC); Welaka, 1Ƥ, 1.IV.1955, H.E. & M.A. Evans (CUIC); Santa Rosa Co., Eglin Air Force Base, 13, 10.VI.1998, D.J. Printiss (ABSC); Georgia: Decatur Co., Spring Creek, 1Ƥ, 20.VIII.1946, P.W. Fattig (FSCA); Dougherty Co., Albany, 1Ƥ, 23.VII.1938, P.W. Fattig (FSCA); Muscogee Co., Fort Benning, 1Ƥ, V.1942, W.L. Swisher (CISC); Ware Co., E of Waycross, Walker State Park, 1Ƥ, 17.V.1993, B.K. Davies (FSCA); South Carolina: Horry Co., Myrtle Beach, 3Ƥ, 29.VII–6.IX.1949, Shappiro (UMMZ); Pickens Co., Dovehaven, 7 mi NE Pickens: 1Ƥ, 13.VI.1979; 1Ƥ, 28.VI.1979; 1Ƥ, 14.VI.1980; 1Ƥ, 13.VII.1980; 1Ƥ, 29.VII.1981; A. & H.L. Dozier (FSCA). Over 30 additional specimens from across the range of this species (USA: AL, FL, GA, SC) were examined (FSCA, LACM, UCFC, UMMZ).
Remarks. A male specimen of D. macilenta and a female of D. chattahoochei, both from the University of Central Florida campus are 100% identical in ITS1 and 99.8% identical in ITS2. These genetic distances, coupled with overlapping distribution clearly show that D. chattahoochei is the female and a junior synonym of D. macilenta.
Because of similarities in female morphology, Krombein (1954) associated the male of D. arenerronea with D. macilenta (as D. chattahoochei). These species were recovered from separate clades (Fig. 73). Additionally, the males of D. macilenta are easily separated from D. arenerronea by structural differences in S2 and the genitalia. Females are much more difficult to separate, but differ in the head shape, lateral propodeal face, and fringe of T2. The label on the holotype of D. macilenta simply reads “Tex.”. Mickel (1928) suggested that the type might be mislabeled, because D. macilenta was known exclusively from the extreme southeastern USA (AL, FL, GA). The distribution in Alabama, however, suggests that this species may occur throughout the Gulf States (AL, LA, MS, TX). We believe the holotype is not necessarily, but could potentially be, mislabeled.
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 17-18, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.213054