Nocturnal Velvet Ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) of Joshua Tree National Park, Riverside County, California with the description of three new species Author Wilson, Joseph S. text Zootaxa 2017 2017-12-12 4319 2 329 367 journal article 32130 10.11646/zootaxa.4319.2.4 c7db5cdc-51c3-4c2d-be5d-a8c11f59c09a 1175-5326 892295 1Ecf4C4A-09Ca-42B4-A105-67Dec7863Fe5 Sphaeropthalma triangularis ( Blake, 1871 ) Agama triangularis Blake, 1871 . Amer. Ent. Soc., Trans. 3: 262. ♂ . Holotype data: Nevada ( ANSP ). Diagnosis of male. This species is easily recognized by the lobe-like projections on the hind coxae. Other useful characters include the triangular shaped posterior margin of the head, the weakly excised mandible (see Pitts et al . 2009: Fig. 40), the lack of mesosternal processes, and the unique triangulate posterior projection of the apex of the hind tibia. Genitalia are illustrated by Pitts et al. (2009: Fig. 26). Diagnosis of female. This species has the dorsum of the body covered with sparse erect brachyplumose setae, but the integument is not obscured; the ventral margin of the mandible has a slight excision, but lacks a long erect tooth at the termination of the dorsal carina; the head below eyes is parallel; the head evenly rounded in lateral view; the first metasomal segment is sessile with the second segment; and the pygidium is longitudinally striate. Material examined. Holotype data: Nevada ( ANSP ) . JTNP: 18–21.Jul.2012 : 1 ♂ N5. 26–28.Oct.2012 : 1 ♂ S9. Distribution. USA ( Arizona , California , Nevada , New Mexico , Utah and Texas ) and northern Mexico ( Baja California and Sonora ). Activity. This species is seemingly rare at JTNP. Remarks. This species is placed in its own species-group ( Pitts & Sadler 2015 ), and seems to be closely related to members of the S. unicolor species-group (e.g. Pitts et al. 2010b). It also seems to be more abundant at the northern extent of its range ( Table 2 & 3 ; Pitts et al. 2009, 2010a; Wilson et al. 2010; Boehme et al. 2012 ).