Sphaeropthalma orestes Fox 1899
Creators: name: Boehme, Nicole F.
name: Tanner, David A.
name: Williams, Kevin A.
name: Pitts, James P.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2012
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Mutillidae
Sphaeropthalma
Sphaeropthalma orestes

description: Sphaeropthalma orestes (Fox, 1899)
(Figs 10, 19)
Mutilla orestes Fox, 1899: 256,
3. Holotype: no locality data (ANSP).
Mutilla Pattersonae Melander, 1903: 309, 3. Holotype: California, Fort Washington, 3 October 1895, R. Patterson (NMNH).
Photopsis indigens Baker, 1905: 112, 3. Holotype: King’s Canon, Ormsby Co., Nevada (CUIC).
Photopsis uniformis Baker, 1905: 113,
3. Holotype: California, Clairmont (CUIC).
Photopsis pedatus Baker, 1905: 115,
3. Holotype: California, Clairmont (CUIC).
Photopsis ingenuus Baker, 1905: 116,
3. Holotype: California, Clairmont (CUIC).
Photopsis salmani Mickel, 1938: 178,
3. Holotype: California, Eagle Lake, 30 July 1936, C.E. Mickel (UMSP).
Sphaeropthalma (Photopsis) salmani fresnoensis Schuster, 1958: 30, 3. Holotype: lost.
Sphaeropthalma (Photopsis) salmani oregano Schuster, 1958: 31, 3. Holotype: lost.
Diagnosis. MALE. The male of this species can be recognized by having mandibles that are strongly excised ventrally, have a vertical face, have a distinct basal tooth and an apex that is tridentate and oblique (Fig. 19), the posterior margin of the head is rounded, the mesosternum lacks processes, the second metasomal sternite lacks a distinct felt line, the pygidium is glabrous and the cuspis of the genitalia spatulate and lack plumose setae. Genitalia are illustrated in Fig. 10. FEMALE. The female of this species can be diagnosed by the following combination characters: the dorsum of the body is covered with sparse erect brachyplumose setae, but the integument is not obscured, the ventral margin of the mandible bears a large ventral basal tooth but lacks a dorsal tooth at the termination of the dorsal carina, the head below eyes is parallel, the head evenly rounded in lateral view, the first metasoma segment is petiolate with the second segment and the pygidium is granulate.
Material examined. Type material. Holotypes: M. orestes, no locality data (ANSP); M. pattersonae: California, Fort Washington, 3 October 1895, R. Patterson (NMNH); Ph. uniformis: California, Clairmont (CUIC); Ph. pedatus: California, Clairmont (CUIC); Ph. ingenuus: California, Clairmont (CUIC); Ph. salmani: California, Eagle Lake, 30 July 1936, C.E. Mickel (UMSP). Other material. Nevada, Nye Co., AMNWR: Non-dune site 1: 1 ♂, MT, 13–15.V.2009, 2 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB; Non-dune site 3: 1 ♂, LT, 12–14.V.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, NFB; Non-dune site 4: 5 ♀, PT, 25.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & JPP, 3 ♀, PT, 7–8.VII.2008, 1 ♀, PT, 22.VII.2008, NFB & DAT, 1 ♀, PT, 1 ♂, LT, 12–14.V.2009, 8 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 9 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 2 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 1 ♀, PT, 7.VII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 4–6.IX.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, NFB; Sand dune site 1: 6 ♀, PT, 3 ♂, LT, 25–26.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & JPP, 1 ♀, PT, 22.VII.2008, NFB & DAT, 2 ♀, PT, 5.VIII.2008, NFB, 3 ♀, PT, 17–18.X.2008, NFB & SDB, 1 ♀, PT, 18–19.II.2009, 1 ♀, PT, 16.IV.2009, 6 ♀, PT, 58 ♂, LT, 12–14.V.2009, 121 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 27 ♀, 2 ♂, PT, 10 ♂, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 31 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 1 ♀, 2 ♂, PT, 2 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 4 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 6 ♂, LT, 4–6.IX.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, NFB; Sand dune site 2: 5 ♂, LT, 15.V.2008, NFB & DAT, 8 ♀, 5 ♂, PT, 25.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & JPP, 4 ♀, PT, 7–8.VII.2008, 7 ♀, 1 ♂, PT, 22–23.VII.2008, NFB & DAT, 3 ♀, PT, 5.VIII.2008, 7 ♀, PT, 2–3.IX.2008, 2 ♀, PT, 16.IV.2009, 1 ♀, PT, 1 ♂, MT, 12 ♂, LT, 12–15.V.2009, 1 ♂, MT, 25 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 2 ♀, 1 ♂, PT, 5 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 2 ♀, 1 ♂, PT, 3 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 33 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 4–6.VIII.2009, 11 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 2 ♂, PT, 1 ♂, LT, 4–6.IX.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, NFB, 1 ♂, PT, 28.X.2009, NFB & SDB; Sand dune site 3: 5 ♀, PT, 25.VI.2008, NFB & DAT, 2 ♀, PT, 7–8.VII.2008, 3 ♀, PT, 22.VII.2008, NFB & DAT, 2 ♀, 1 ♂, PT, 5.VIII.2008, 4 ♀, PT, 2–3.IX.2008, 2 ♂, LT, 12–14.V.2009, 36 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 6 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 7 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 20 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 4–6.VIII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 6 ♂, LT, 4–6.IX.2009, 8 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, NFB; Sand dune site 4: 21 ♂, LT, 9.VI.2008, NFB & DAT, 7 ♀, 1 ♂, PT, 25.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & JPP, 1 ♀, 1 ♂, PT, 7–9.VII.2008, 3 ♀, PT, 22.VII.2008, NFB & DAT, 3 ♀, PT, 5.VIII.2008, 1 ♀, PT, 16.IV.2009, 1 ♀, PT, 24 ♂, LT, 12–14.V.2009, 1 ♂, MT, 13 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 1 ♀, PT, 72 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 55 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 2 ♀, PT, 5 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 18 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 4 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 2 ♂, LT, 4–6.IX.2009, 9 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 16–18.X.2009, NFB; Sand dune site 5: 1 ♀, PT, 96 ♂, LT, 24–25.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & JPP, 7 ♂, LT, 1 ♀, 7–10.VII.2008, 1 ♀, PT, 8 ♂, LT, 22–24.VII.2008, NFB & DAT, 4 ♂, LT, 12–14.V.2009, NFB, 21 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 2 ♀, PT, 5 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 3 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 5 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 28 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 2 ♂, LT, 4–6.VIII.2009, 5 ♂, LT, 17–19.VIII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 4–6.IX.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 22–23.IX.2009, NFB; Non-dune site 5: 7 ♂, LT, 13.VI.2008, NFB & DAT, 5 ♀, PT, 25.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & JPP, 2 ♀, PT, 7–8.VII.2008, 4 ♀, PT, 1 ♂, LT, 22–23.VII.2008, NFB, 1 ♀, PT, 5.VIII.2008, 1 ♀, 1 ♂, PT, 2–3.IX.2008, NFB, 3 ♀, PT, 17–18.X.2008, NFB & SDB, 4 ♂, LT, 12–14.V.2009, 22 ♂, LT, 26–28.V.2009, NFB, 1 ♀, PT, 11 ♂, LT, 8–15.VI.2009, NFB & DAT, 10 ♂, LT, 23–25.VI.2009, 1 ♀, PT, 1 ♂, LT, 6–8.VII.2009, 3 ♂, LT, 21–23.VII.2009, 1 ♂, LT, 18–23.IX.2009, NFB; Copeland site: 2 ♂, LT, 14.V.2008, NFB & DAT, 4 ♀, PT, 25.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & JPP, 1 ♀, PT, 2–3.IX.2008, NFB; Spring meadows site: 8 ♀, PT, 25.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & JPP, 2 ♀, PT, 7–8.VII.2008, 1 ♀, PT, 22.VII.2008, NFB & DAT, 1 ♀, PT, 5.VIII.2008, 1 ♀, PT, 2–3.IX.2008, NFB; Mesquite site 1: 1 ♀, PT, 7–8.VII.2008, 1 ♀, PT, 22.VII.2008, NFB & DAT; Mesquite site 2: 6 ♀, 2 ♂, PT, 24–25.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & JPP, 7 ♀, PT, 7–8.VII.2008, 1 ♀, PT, 22.VII.2008, NFB & DAT, 1 ♂, PT, 5.VIII.2008, NFB, 5 ♀, 1 ♂, PT, 17–18.X.2008, NFB & SDB; Mesquite site 3: 6 ♀, 4 ♂, PT, 24–25.VI.2008, NFB, DAT & JPP, 1 ♀, 1 ♂, PT, 7–8.VII.2008, 2 ♀, 1 ♂, PT, 22.VII.2008, NFB & DAT, 1 ♀, PT, 5.VIII.2008, 4 ♀, 4 ♂, PT, 2–3.IX.2008, NFB, 5 ♀, 2 ♂, PT, 17–18.X.2008, NFB & SDB.
Distribution: USA (Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington), Mexico.
Activity. Males were active from mid-spring through mid-autumn (May through October). Females were collected from spring through mid-autumn (late June through October of 2008 and April through July of 2009).
Remarks. Sphaeropthalma orestes were collected significantly more often in sand dune habitats than in non-sand dune habitats (U=25, p=0.01). One hundred ninety-eight female and 965 male S. orestes were collected throughout the course of this study. The female specimens were collected from April through October via pitfall trapping. The male specimens were collected from May through October via light and pitfall trapping. Sphaeropthalma orestes was not found at the NTS. The absence of S. orestes at the NTS is odd because the species is known to be abundant throughout its range, which extends west of the Rocky Mountains from mainland Mexico to southern Canada. The absence of S. orestes at the NTS is also not due to mis-identification as Dr. W.E. Ferguson was clearly familiar with S. orestes with the description of S. orestes biology in Ferguson (1962).
description: Published as part of Boehme, Nicole F., Tanner, David A., Williams, Kevin A. & Pitts, James P., 2012, Faunal study of velvet ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) and their activity patterns and habitat preference at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Nye County, Nevada, USA, pp. 1-45 in Zootaxa 3587 on pages 34-36, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3587.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/283115