Sphaeropthalma blakeii
(Fox, 1893)
Sphaeropthalma blakeii is a of velvet ant in the Mutillidae, first described by Fox in 1893. The Sphaeropthalma is among the most diverse mutillid genera in North America. Like all velvet ants, females are wingless and -like in appearance, while males possess wings. The species is poorly documented in the literature, with limited information available beyond taxonomic records.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Sphaeropthalma blakeii: /sfɛˌroʊfˈθælmə ˈbleɪkiˌaɪ/
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Distribution
The is known from North America. Specific locality records are sparse, but the Sphaeropthalma is broadly distributed across western and southwestern United States and Mexico.
Life Cycle
As a member of Mutillidae, Sphaeropthalma blakeii likely exhibits the typical velvet ant : females deposit in the nests of or bees, and larvae develop as ectoparasitoids of the host's stages. This has been documented for related Sphaeropthalma but not specifically confirmed for S. blakeii.
More Details
Taxonomic Context
Sphaeropthalma is a large within Mutillidae, with numerous described primarily from the western United States and Mexico. Species-level identification typically requires examination of microscopic characters including punctation patterns, setation, and genitalic structures. The genus has been subject to modern revisionary work by Pitts and colleagues.
Type Specimen
The was described by William J. Fox in 1893. are housed in institutional collections, though specific depository information for the requires verification from original literature.