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THE CALIFORNIA VELVET ANTS of the GENUS DASYMUTILLA ASHMEAD (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae)

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THE CALIFORNIA VELVET ANTS of the GENUS DASYMUTILLA ASHMEAD (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) BULLETIN OF THE CALIFORNIA INSECT SURVEY VOLUME 1, NO. 4 THE CALIFORNIA VELVET ANTS OF THE GENUS DASYMUTILLA ASHMEAD (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) BY PAUL D. HURD, JR. (Division of Entomology and Parisitology. University of California, Berkeley) UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS BERKELEY AND LOS ANGELES 1951 BULLETIN OF THE CALIFORNIA INSECT SURVEY Editors :E. 0. Essig, S. B. Freeborn, E. G. Linsley, R. L. Usinger Vol. 1, No. 4, pp. 89-118, plate 10 Issued August 27,1951 Price. 35 cents UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS BERKELEY AND LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS LONDON, ENGLAND PRINTED BY OFFSET IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA THE CALIFORNIA VELVET ANTS OF THE GENUS DASYMUTILLA ASHMEAD (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) Ihe velvet ants of the genus Dasyrmrtzlla, per- Of these, three species (magnifica; phaon, var. haps because of their conspicuous and contrasting frmbrialis; and scitula) have also been collected colors, have attracted nuch interest from the nat- on the Pacific slope of California. Eight species uraliat and the laity alike. Even so, most of our (abdita, aureola and its variety pacifica, cali- species are poorly or inadequately known. It is, fornica and its variety clio, clytemnestra, coc- therefore, one of the primary objectives of this cineohirta, flammifera, sackenii, and tes taceruen- paper to emphasize certain of the deficiencies in tris) are apparently restricted in their distri- our knowledge of the California species of this bution to the Pacific slope, that area of Califor- genus. nia which lies to the west of the main cordilleran Fbdoszkowski (1861) described the first Cali- axis. fornia species now included in the genus and be- Since many of the species are known to be quite tween 1865 and 1915 additional species were de- variable, especially in size and coloration of the scribed by Cresson (1865, 18751, Blake (1879, vestiture, it is quite difficult and uncertain to 18861, Fox (18991, and Cockerell (1894, 1900, 1915). correlate the sexes of any given species in the ab- Mickel (1928) in his very excellent monograph of sence of supportive field evidence. As has been the genus placed sune of these previously described indicated previously, only eleven of our California species in synonymy, described new species which species are known from both sexes; and since the had been overlooked or confused with existing spe- association or the discovery of the opposite sexes cies, and noted the plasticity of several species. of the mining species is to be desired, the fol- Mickel (1936 a, b) added two new California spe- lowing remarks are offered in the hope that they cies and listed new distributional records. Barr may prove of some assistance toward that end. and Hurd (1947) described anothe; California spe- Distributional data, when subjected to analy- cies, associated the sexes of one species, and sis, often suggest possibilities of associating listed new distributional records for nine species. the sexes; also, similarities in distributional Biological studies by Bohart and MacSwain patterns, population densities, and seasonal ac- ( 1939) and Linsley and MacSwain (1942) provided tivity periods, although not always reliable certain information on the host relationships of guides, provide indications of haw to proceed with two of our well-known California species, sackenii field research. Supportive field evidence may be and aureola. of three kinds: 1) securing a copulating pair under Host records for two additional species, foxi natural conditions, 2) host relationships, or 3) and fulvohLrta are listed by Mickel (1928:ll). In attracting males to individually caged females and so far as is known, the genus Dasynwtilla is para- observing the mating process. sitic solely upon aculeate Hymenoptera. Since it is quite uncomn to encounter a copu- It is rather surprising that an area as large lating pair in the field, or to obtain definitive and climatically diversified as California should information from host relationship, or to derive contain such a relatively small number of species direct evidence from an analysis of distributional as is known now. At the present writing there are knowledge,. the writer has found that the atcractim but twenty-seven species and three ‘‘varieties’ ’ of males to individually caged females and obser- known to occur within the state. Of these twenty- vation of the ensuing mating offers a more conclu- seven species only eleven are known from both sexes sive form of supportive evidence on which to asso- In an accompanying table (Table 1) these species ciate the sexes, especially if the results so ab- have been sumnarized and the probable sex associa- tained are considered in light of the other find- tions of those species which are known from but ings. In the fall of 1947 a number of small screen one sex have been indicated. cages were set up in an area inhabited by several Most of the species (19) known to occur in species of Dasymutilla. Females of califomica, California are found in the desert or mare arid re- coccineohrrta, and sackenii were collected between gions of the state. These species are: arenwaga 1 and 3 p.m. and introduced individually into the and its variety unrcolor, atricauda, dainmersi, cages which were grouped together in an open area. eminentia, errabunda, foxi, julvohirta, gloriosa, About 3:15 p.m. the first males were observed in i he 1 iophi la, magna, magnifica, megalophthalma, mc- the general area, but in no instance did they fly turna, paenulata, paranpcturna, phaon and- its va- near the cages. At 3:30 p.m. what appeared to be a riety fimbrralis, satanas, scitula, and subhyalina. freshly emerged female coccineohirta was collected 89 90 BULLETIN OF THE CALIFORNIA INSECT SURVEY and placed in a cage in the same situation as OCCU- can be perfected which will allow the male free ac- pied by the other cages. At 3:35 p.m. several males cess to enter and still not allow the introduced were noted about twenty-five feet away. At 3:40 p.m. female to escape. In view of this success and that a male flew in a large circle over the cages and listed by hlickel (1938) with Pseudonethoca prae- landed beside the cage containing the freshly Clara, and the partial success recorded by Fattig emerged coccineohirta iemle. The male attempted (1943) it would seem that such a means of ex- to enter the cage fran all exposed sides, and, perimentation would yield valuable information as after being prmitted a few minudes of investiga- to the sexes of species which are unknown or de- tion, a try was made to capture him for introduc- scribed as separate species. tion. The male, however, escaped and flew off, cir- Gmnander c. fM. Damners, of Kiverside, Califor- cling the area only to return to the same cage. The nia, has demonstrated to the writer a rather in- capture was then effected and he was introduced genious method he has utilized with success in at- into the cage. After moving restlessly about for tracting the mal-. A number of small wire screen some moments, coplation of the pair took place, soap dispensers, such as those used by the house- lasting only a few seconds. The group of cages was wife in her kitchen sink, are fastened about the allowed to remain in the same area for another waist of the collector, and, as the female mutil- hour, during which time no additional males were ob- lids are collected, they are introduced singly served to come near the cages. Upon return to the into the separate containers. Thus the ordinary laboratory, the identification of the species which routine of general collecting is not greatly ham- had undergone induced mating was verified as coc- pered; and, still more important, since the fe- crneohirta. Whether or not there are certain req- males are transported by the collector, a greater uisites necessary for the attraction of the males opportunity for the attraction of males is offered cannot be stated at this time. Undoubtedly cages as the collector visits various habitats. The ad- Table 1. Summary of the California species of the genus Dasymutilla Ashmead Species Known from Rokble Sex Associations of the Species Both Sexes Known from &t Che Sex bb only 09 only utireo 1 a abdita ......... aureola, var. pacifica Lcatifornica, var. clio cocc ineoh irt a ? ......... c lytemes tra1 eranent aa errabunda ....... he 1 iophi la foxi ? ......... paenu lata f u lvohirt a phaon ......... ? gloriosa phaon. vas. fadrialis . magna testaceiventris. .... flaaurifera (in part) magnifico ? ......... atricauda sac&enii ? ......... cicunrnersi hrenivaga satanas ..... scitula subhyu I ina arenivaga, vat. unicolor brobably a subspecies of coccineohirta. CALIFORNIA VELVET ANTS OF THE GENUS DASYMUTILLA ASHMEAD 91 vantage of continuous observation of the attracted assistance and many helpful suggestions he has mle is imdiately apparent, particularly if more made available over the past several years. than one species of female is represented in the The genus dasynutilla as defined by ASckel caged material. (1928:U) may be recognized by the following char- ?he distributional records of the present paper acteristics: eyes round, prominent, almost hemis- have been obtained principally from material con- pherical in shape, polished, the facets usually tained in the following collections: the Califor- very indistinct ht not necessarily so; first ab- nia Insect SNey, University of Celifornia, Aer- domiha1 segment either distinctly petiolate, sub- keley (C.1.S.); California Academy of Sciences, petiolate, or subsessile, but never completely San Francisco (C.A.S.); and the University of Cali- sessile with the second, a distinct constriction fornia, G11ege of Agriculture, &vis (U.C.D.). No present at the junction of these two segments; an- attempt has been made, other than the citation of terior wings of the male with cells 1st R1 t R1 the type locality, to include the published dis- adR5 present, cell R4 either indistinct or corn- tributional records of the species concerned, pletely absent; females with a distinct pygidial since this information has heen adequately sum- area; body either clothed with long, dense pubes- marized by Rickel (1928, 1936a) and for certain of cence, sparsely pbescent or almost bare; plbes- our desert species by Err and iiurd (1947).
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