Odontophotopsis serca Viereck 1904

Odontophotopsis serca Viereck, 1904

Odontophotopsis sercus Viereck, 1904. Amer. Ent. Soc., Trans 30: 87. ♂. Holotype data: Mexico, Lower California (ANSP).

Diagnosis of male. This species can be recognized by the lack of a clypeal tubercle, by having deeply excised mandibles with a vertical apex (see Boehme et al. 2012: Fig. 8), by having simple but prominent mesosternal processes, and by lacking a sternal felt line. Genitalia are illustrated in Boehme et al. (2012: Fig. 16).

Female. Unknown.

Material examined. Holotype data: Mexico, Lower California, type no. 4979 (ANSP). JTNP: 18–21.Jul.2012: 3 ♂ N9; 1 ♂ N7; 1 ♂ N5; 3 ♂ N3; 19 ♂ N1; 123 ♂ T; 107 ♂ S1; 9 ♂ S3; 4 ♂ S5; 2 ♂ S9; 6 ♂ S11; 3 ♂ S13; 15 ♂ S18. 26–28.Aug.2012: 3 ♂ N7; 2 ♂ N3; 24 ♂ N1; 130 ♂ T; 187 ♂ S1; 9 ♂ S3; 1 ♂ S5; 2 ♂ S7; 3 ♂ S9; 8 ♂ S11; 3 ♂ S13; 1 ♂ S18. 22–24.Sep.2012: 2 ♂ N7; 3 ♂ N3; 8 ♂ N1; 3 ♂ T; 81 ♂ S1; 1 ♂ S3; 5 ♂ S9; 3 ♂ S11; 1 ♂ S18.

Distribution. USA (Arizona, California, and Nevada) and northern Mexico (Baja California and Sonora).

Activity. This species is seemingly active throughout the season at JTNP.

Remarks. Odontophotopsis serca, unlike O. armata, never develops a felt line on the second metasomal sternum, but can be easily confused with this species. The clypeal tubercle, however, is distinct in O. armata. This species is a member of the O. serca species-group along with O. armata and O. mariae (Cameron, 1896). This species, along with O. melicausa, sometimes develops a slight secondary mesosternal tubercle posterior to the primary one and is sometimes unilateral (Ferguson 1967). The taxonomy of this species is discussed in more detail in Pitts et al. (2009). Although this species is found in the Mojave Desert (e.g. Ferguson 1967; Boehme et al. 2012), this species seems to be more abundant in more southern areas of the Mojave Desert and into the Sonoran Desert (Table 2 & 3; e.g. Wilson et al. 2010; Pitts et al. 2010a).