The female velvet ants (aka modkhong) of southern Thailand (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae), with a key to the genera of southeast Asia
Author
Williams, Kevin A.
Author
Lelej, Arkady S.
Author
Okayasu, Juriya
Author
Borkent, Christopher J.
Author
Malee, Rufeah
Author
Thoawan, Kodeeyah
Author
Thaochan, Narit
text
Zootaxa
2019
2019-05-07
4602
1
1
69
journal article
26916
10.5281/zenodo.2669927
f32a6f5a-0c9f-43c4-a273-4bc325ece96e
1175-5326
2669927
F066A962-743F-4899-AFAE-485C5A51EF2F
13a.
Promecilla decora
(
Smith, 1879
)
(
Figs 12
,
65–67
)
Mutilla decora
Smith 1879
: 200
,
♀
;
Magretti, 1892
: 213
,
♀
;
Zavattari 1910
: 9
.
Smicromyrme decora
: Pagden 1934a: 465
,
♂
,
♀
;
Mickel 1935
: 288
,
♀
;
Pagden, 1949
: 222
,
♀
,
♂
;
Sinotilla decora
: Lelej 1995b: 19
; 2005: 55;
Okayasu 2017
: 166
.
Promecilla decora
:
Brothers & Lelej 2017
: 57
,
♀
,
♂
.
Diagnosis.
FEMALE. This species can be recognized by having the dorsal face of the pronotum with a lateral tooth, T2 with a basomedial whitish spot, having the sculpture of T2 with dense small punctures, and the metasoma dark metallic blue. Body length
4–7 mm
. MALE. See
Pagden (1949)
.
Material examined (
9 ♀
).
MALAYSIA
,
Kelantan
,
12 km
E border
Kelantan-Perak
,
24.VII.1992
,
C.W. and L.B. O’Brien
(
1♀
CASC
)
.
THAILAND
:
Krabi
,
14 km
NNE
Krabi
,
Phnom Bencha Mountain
Resort,
8.208
o
N
98.937
o
E
,
80 m
,
2.IV.2017
, MKT (
2♀
CSCA
)
;
Nakhon Si Thammarat
,
4.4 km
N Hin Tok
,
Mountainside
rubber farm,
8.303
o
N
99.849
o
E
,
7.IV.2017
, MKT (
1♀
CSCA
)
;
Phatthalung
,
2.4 km
S Ban Na
,
Farm
,
7.543
o
N
99.883
o
E
,
50 m
,
5.IV.2017
, MKT (
2♀
CSCA
QSBG
)
;
Phetchabun
,
Khao Kho National Park
,
16
o
39.549'N
101
o
0 8.198'E
,
168 m
,
9-10.I.2007
,
pan trap
,
S. Chachumnan
and
S. Singtong
, T1387 (
1♀
QSBG
)
;
Phetchaburi
,
Kaeng Krachan
,
Baan Maka Nature Lodge
,
12.840
o
N
99.590
o
E
,
140 m
,
22–23.V.2018
, MKT (
1♀
CSCA
)
;
Surat Thani
,
Khlong Sok
,
Khao Sok Jungle Huts
,
8.909
o
N
99.526
o
E
,
70 m
,
14.V.2018
, MKT (
1♀
CSCA
)
.
Distribution.
China
(
Yunnan
),
Thailand
(
Krabi
,
Nakhon Si Thammarat
,
Phatthalung
,
Phetchabun
,
Phetchaburi
, and
Surat Thani
),
Myanmar
,
Malaysia
(
Kelantan
,
Pulau Pinang
,
Kuala Lumpur
), and
Indonesia
(
Java
).
Host
.
Reared from nests of a widely distributed, mud-daubing solitary wasp
Pison argentatum
Shuckard, 1838
(
Hymenoptera
:
Crabronidae
) (Pagden 1934b), which is also known as a hunter of both web-building and non-webbuilding spiders of
Salticidae
,
Araneidae
,
Lycosidae
and
Oxyopidae (
Starr 2004
)
. Pagden (1934b) mentioned that this species probably attacks other species of
Pison
as well.
Remarks.
The metallic blue metasomal color is less distinct than in
Sinotilla cyaneiventris
. The evenly convex T2 with smaller and finer punctures is useful for separating this species from
S. belokobylskiji
.