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
4a.
Bischoffitilla lamellata
(Mickel, 1933)
(
Figs 36–38
)
Squamulotilla lamellata
Mickel 1933b: 295
.
Chen 1957
: 141
.
Squamulotilla arundinacea
Pagden, 1934a: 445
.
Mickel 1935
: 184
,
syn. nov.
Bischoffitilla arundinacea:
Lelej 2002
: 127
;
Lelej 2005
: 24
; Okayasu
et al.
2018: 302.
Bischoffitilla lamellata:
Lelej 2002
: 127
;
Lelej 2005
: 27
; Okayasu
et al.
2018: 303;
Barthélémy
et al
. 2018
: 232
.
Diagnosis.
FEMALE. This species can be immediately recognized by having the gena armed with a posterolateral tooth below the eye. Other useful features include: antennal tubercle unarmed; genal carina obscure; clypeus with weak middle tooth connected to apicolateral teeth by carina; mesopleural lamella longer than flagellar width, apically truncate; mesosomal dorsum with complete longitudinal carina; dorsoposterior propodeal row obscure, medial tooth usually distinct; posterior propodeal face reticulate; T1 apicomedially and T2 basomedially with white to golden spot; T2 apically with complete transverse band of whitish to golden cuticle and/or setae; T3 entirely clothed with whitish to golden setae; T4 usually with medial white to golden setal spot; and T5 usually with setae black medially. Body length
3–7 mm
. MALE. See
Barthélémy
et al
. (2018)
..
Material examined Type material.
CHINA
,
Guangdong
,
Canton
[
Guangzhou
]
,
Honan
Island, W.E
.
Hoffmann
(
2♀
SYSM
,
paratypes
of
Squamulotilla lamellata
Mickel, 1933
).
Other Material
(
49 ♀
)
.
THAILAND
:
Chiang Mai
,
Amphoe Fang
,
Nam Mae Kok
,
10.I.1989
,
Trautner
and
Geigenmüller
, (
1♀
IBSS
)
;
Kanchanaburi
:
Mueang
Kanchanaburi
,
Mahogany
plantation,
14.193
o
N
99.363
o
E
,
130 m
:
21.V.2018
, MKT (
1♀
CSCA
)
;
Sai Yok
,
Prasat Mueang Sing Park
,
14.040
o
N
99.243
o
E
,
50 m
:
19.V.2018
, MKT (
1♀
CSCA
)
;
Thong Pha Phum
,
Vimarndin
farm stay,
14.655
o
N
98.521
o
E
,
200 m
,
17–20.V.2018
, MKT (
16♀
CSCA
EMUS
)
;
Krabi
:
12.4 km
NNW
Krabi
,
Oil
palm farm,
8.193
o
N
98.876
o
E
,
50 m
:
29.III.2017
, MKT (
2♀
CSCA
)
;
3.IV.2017
, MKT (
3♀
CSCA
)
;
14 km
NNE
Krabi
,
Phnom Bencha Mountain
Resort,
8.208
o
N
98.937
o
E
,
80 m
,
2.IV.2017
, MKT (
1♀
CSCA
)
;
19.5 km
NW
Krabi
,
8.201
o
N
98.751
o
E
,
10 m
,
1.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
,
8.IV.2017
, MKT (
1♀
CSCA
)
;
Phetchabun
,
Khao Kho National Park
, office,
16
o
39.55'N
101
o
8.134'E
,
230 m
,
2.VIII.2006
,
Malaise trap
,
S. Chachumnan
and
S. Singtong
, T174 (
1♀
QSBG
)
;
Phetchaburi
,
Kaeng Krachan
,
Baan Maka Nature Lodge
,
12.840
o
N
99.590
o
E
,
140 m
:
16.V.2018
, MKT (
5♀
CSCA
MIUP
PSUC
QSBG
);
22–23.V.2018
, MKT (
7♀
CSCA
)
;
Phuket
,
Phuket
Island
,
50 m
,
7
o
47'N
98
o
19'E
,
1.VIII.1986
,
R. Hensen
(
1♀
RMNH
)
;
Songkhla
:
Hat Yai
,
Prince
of
Songkhla
University
, forest edge,
7.008
o
N
100.508
o
E
,
40 m
,
11-12.IV.2017
, MKT (
5♀
CSCA
)
;
27 km
SW Hat Yai
,
Ton Nga Chang National Park
,
200 m
,
6
o
54'N
100
o
21'E
,
24.VII.1986
,
R. Hensen
(
1♀
RMNH
)
;
Trang
,
0.5 km
NE Palian
,
Orchard
,
7.291
o
N
99.858
o
E
,
6.IV.2017
, MKT (
1♀
CSCA
)
.
Distribution.
China
(
Guangdong
,
Hong Kong
,
Macao
),
Vietnam
,
Thailand
(
Chiang Mai
,
Kanchanaburi
,
Krabi
,
Nakhon Si Thammarat
,
Phetchabun
,
Phetchaburi
,
Phuket
,
Songkhla
,
Trang
),
Malaysia
(
Perak
).
Remarks.
Bischoffitilla lamellata
was included in
Chen’s (1957)
key to Chinese species and
B. arundinacea
was included in
Mickel’s (1935)
key to mutillids from Pacific Islands. This treatment is apparently the first to compare these taxa. These females differ from other
Bischoffitilla
in key features, most notably: the gena has a distinct tooth-like projection behind the eye, the mesopleural lamella is elongate and apically truncate, and T3 has a complete band of white to golden setae. The comprehensive original descriptions of each species (Mickel 1933b, Pagden 1934a) were compared and they differ only in slight features of color or sculpture. Some of the apparent differences could be attributed to author interpretations of the same feature. Further, some individuals from the series of
18 specimens
collected in Kanchanaburi differ from one another in greater magnitude than differences noted in the original descriptions for these taxa. We therefore treat
B. arundinacea
as a junior synonym of
B. lamellata
. The male of this wideaspread species was recently discovered and described in
Hong Kong
(
Barthélémy
et al
. 2018
).