NEW RECORDS OF CERCERIS TUBERCULATA (VILLERS, 1787) (HYMENOPTERA: CRABRONIDAE) FROM UKRAINE, WITH NOTES ON ITS PARASITOIDS AND PREY

Present paper reports observations on the digger wasp Cerceris tuberculata (Villers, 1787) (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae), listed in Red Data Book of Ukraine, its parasitoids and prey. The observations revealed two parasitoids associated with this wasp: a cuckoo wasp Hedychrum virens Dahlbom, 1845 (Chrysididae) and velvet ant Nemka viduata viduata (Pallas, 1773) (Mutillidae). The host-parasitoid association of this velvet ant and C. tuberculata is provided for the first time. Four species of weevils were registered as a prey of C. tuberculata, three of them are given for the first time herein. New records of the species from Zaporizhzhya and Kherson Regions are provided; the species is reported from Zaporizhzhia Region for the first time.

Review of female Andreimyrme Lelej (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae: Smicromyrmini)

Females of the East Asian velvet-ant genus Andreimyrme Lelej, 1995 are reviewed. The genus definition is extended to accommodate A. borkenti (Williams, 2019), comb. nov. (from Smicromyrme Thomson, 1870), and nine new species: A. auricoma Okayasu, sp. nov. (Malaysia), A. laminatihumeralis Okayasu, sp. nov. (Indonesia, Malaysia), A. matsumotoi Okayasu, sp. nov. (Vietnam), A. naturalis Williams, sp. nov. (Indonesia), A. rong Williams, sp. nov. (Thailand, Vietnam), A. silvorientalis Okayasu, sp. nov. (Indonesia), A. takensis Okayasu, sp. nov. (Thailand), A. ursasolaris Williams, sp. nov. (Indonesia), and A. yotoi Okayasu, sp. nov. (Laos, Vietnam). Diagnoses, distributional records, and illustrations are provided for these and four previously recognized species, A. neaera (Mickel, 1935), A. paniya Terine, Lelej & Girish Kumar, 2021, A. sarawakensis Lelej, 1996, and A. substriolata (Chen, 1957). Andreimyrme borkenti is newly recorded from Vietnam. A key to species known from females is provided. Habitat preference of this genus is discussed based on collecting records.

A new velvet ant genus Arkaditilla (Hymenoptera, Mutillidae, Trogaspidiini) from the Oriental Region, with review of species

A new Old World genus in the tribe Trogaspidiini Bischoff, 1920, Arkaditillagen. nov., is described based on male morphology. Six species are recognized in this genus: A. bagrada (Cameron, 1902), comb. nov. (Indonesia, Malaysia), A. depressicornis (Mickel, 1935), comb. nov. (Malaysia), A. frimsp. nov. (Malaysia), A. gibbasp. nov. (Indonesia), A. lelejisp. nov. (Indonesia), and A. nallinia (Zavattari, 1914), comb. nov. (Indonesia). The species of this new genus were formerly placed in the genus Krombeinidia Lelej, 1996, but they are differentiated from it and other genera by having a unique set of morphological character states, such as the mandible inner margin expanded, forming subbasal tooth; the paramere antero-ventrally serrate; and the digitus dorsal margin lamellate. A key to species of Arkaditilla is provided.

The paradox of the velvet-ant (Hymenoptera, Mutillidae)

Female diurnal velvet-ants are among the insects most strongly protected against predation. These protections include an exceedingly hard and tightly fitting integument, powerful legs and rapid running ability, aposematic color, aposematic warning stridulation, aposematic odor, and, most famously, legendarily powerful stings. Small to medium-sized velvet-ants were rarely injured or killed in tests against potential predators. Velvet-ant stings are painful, often exceedingly so, but have low toxicity or lethality and are of defensive value primarily by causing intense pain. Despite being well defended against predators they do not form night-time resting aggregations that might enhance mutual protection.

TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE VELVET ANT GENUS BISCHOFFITILLA LELEJ (HYMENOPTERA: MUTILLIDAE) IN INDONESIA

Seven species of the genus Bischoffitilla Lelej were previously known from Indonesia. Bischoffitilla selangorensis (Pagden, 1934) is newly recorded from Indonesia. Bischoffitilla palaca (Cameron, 1902) is newly recorded from Java, and B. saffica (Zavattari, 1914) from Sumatra. Keys to the Indonesian species of Bischoffitilla are given.

The velvet ant genus Pseudophotopsis André, 1896 (Hymenoptera, Mutillidae) in the Arabian Peninsula, with the description of two new species

The monotypic subfamily Pseudophotopsidinae Bischoff, 1920 (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) from the Arabian Peninsula is revised. Six Pseudophotopsis species are reported from Saudi Arabia, Oman and Yemen. Two new species, P. dhofarensissp. nov. (male) from Oman and P. subaureasp. nov. (male) from Saudi Arabia, are described and illustrated. The hitherto unknown female of P. mascatiana Invrea, 1962 is described and P. aegyptiaca (Bischoff, 1920) (female) is associated and synonymized with P. maura Bischoff, 1920 (male). An illustrated key for the species and their distribution in the Arabian Peninsula are provided.

Systematic revision of the North American velvet ant genus Invreiella Suárez (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) with description of eleven new species

The velvet ant genus Invreiella Suárez, 1966 is redescribed and revised. Females are grouped into five species-groups, with eleven new species described based on females: I. acuminata Waldren, sp. nov., I. australis Waldren, sp. nov., I. bimaculata Waldren, sp. nov., I. breviclypeata Waldren, sp. nov., I. chihuahuensis Waldren, sp. nov., I. cuernavaca Waldren, sp. nov., I. erythrocephala Waldren, sp. nov., I. manleyi Waldren, sp. nov., I. mesomexicana Waldren, sp. nov., I. suarezi Waldren, sp. nov., and I. tequila Waldren, sp. nov. One new combination is included, I. cephalargia (Mickel, 1924), comb. nov., formerly placed in Pseudomethoca Ashmead, 1896. Additionally, I. curoei Quintero & Cambra, 2011 is synonymized with I. cardinalis (Gerstaecker, 1874), syn. nov., and I. megacantha (Cockerell & Casad, 1894), stat. resurr., is treated as a nomen dubium. The lectotype of Mutilla satrapa Gerstaecker, 1874 originally designated by C. Mickel is here validated. An illustrated key to species is included.

Phoretic copulation in the velvet ant Sphaeropthalma pensylvanica (Lepeletier) (Hymenoptera, Mutillidae): A novel behavior for Sphaeropthalminae with a synthesis of mating strategies in Mutillidae

Phoretic copulation, a form of phoresy in which a male physically transports a female by flight and/or foot from their initial site of contact before mating, is newly recorded in the Nearctic velvet ant Sphaeropthalma pensylvanica (Lepeletier, 1845) (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae). Further, this is the first record of the behavior in the species-rich subfamily Sphaeropthalminae. A description of the S. pensylvanica mating observation and photographs are provided. All published observations of copulation events in Mutillidae are critically reviewed in the context of mating strategy, and new terminology is proposed for the mating strategies currently known to occur in the family.