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Issue: Vol. 5702 No. 1: 8 Oct. 2025
Type: Monograph
Published: 2025-10-08
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5702.1.1
Page range: 1-64
Abstract views: 47
PDF downloaded: 2

Diagnostic review of the Sphaeropthalmini (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) of Central and North America, Part 1: minor nocturnal genera

Plant Pest Diagnostics Center; California Department of Food & Agriculture; 3294 Meadowview Road; Sacramento; CA 95832; USA
Department of Biology; Utah State University; 5305 Old Main Hill; Logan; UT 84322; USA
Plant Pest Diagnostics Center; California Department of Food & Agriculture; 3294 Meadowview Road; Sacramento; CA 95832; USA
Museo de Invertebrados G. B. Fairchild; Estafeta Universitaria Apartado 00017; Universidad de Panamá; Panamá 0824; República de Panamá
University of California; Davis; One Shields Avenue; Davis; CA 95616; USA
Instituto Nacional da Mata Atlântica; Avenida José Ruschi nª4; Santa Teresa; Espírito Santo; Brazil
Hymenoptera taxonomy Sphaeropthalminae molecular analysis velvet ants

Abstract

In Part 1 of this diagnostic review on the tribe Sphaeropthalmini in North America (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae: Sphaeropthalminae), we treat the minor nocturnal genera: Acanthophotopsis Schuster, 1958 (six species); Acrophotopsis Schuster, 1958 (six species); Dilophotopsis Schuster, 1958 (three species); Laminatilla Pitts, 2007 (three species); and Schusterphotopsis Pitts, 2003 (one species). The previously unrecognized females are described for three genera (Acanthophotopsis, Laminatilla, and Schusterphotopsis) and nine species (Acanthophotopsis bequaertii Schuster, 1958; Acanthophotopsis dorophora Schuster, 1958; Acanthophotopsis falciformis Schuster, 1958; Acrophotopsis bergi Casal, 1967; Acrophotopsis mickeli Pitts, 2002; Dilophotopsis paron (Cameron, 1896); Laminatilla bicornigera (Schuster, 1958), Laminatilla lamellifera (Schuster, 1958) and Schusterphotopsis barghesti Pitts, 2003). Two new species are described: Acrophotopsis paratropicalis Williams, sp. nov. and Acrophotopsis pumasunam Williams, sp. nov. One new combination is presented: Acanthophotopsis virguncula (Blake, 1886), comb. nov. (transfered from Sphaerophthalma Blake, 1871). Two new synonymies are presented: Stethophotopsis cremauranti Pitts & Manley, 2002, syn. nov. underAcanthophotopsis bequaertii Schuster, 1958) and Acanthophotopsis bifurca Schuster, 1958, syn. nov. under=Sphaerophthalma [sic] virguncula Blake, 1886). Additional comments are also presented regarding the distribution, behavior, and relations of Stethophotopsis maculata Pitts, 2000. New keys to the North American genera of Sphaeropthalmini and keys to species in each of the treated genera are provided.

 

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How to Cite

Williams, K.A., Pitts, J.P., Parikh, G.R., Cambra, R.A., Zhang, Y. & Bartholomay, P.R. (2025) Diagnostic review of the Sphaeropthalmini (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) of Central and North America, Part 1: minor nocturnal genera. Zootaxa, 5702 (1), 1–64. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5702.1.1