Bischoffitilla mammallifera ( Chen, 1957 )

Okayasu, Juriya, Lelej, Arkady S., Williams, Kevin A., Brabant, Craig M., Nguyen, Lien Thi Phuong, Nguyen, Anh Duc, Pham, Thai Hong & Truong, Tuong Thi Cat, 2025, Current knowledge on the velvet ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae, Myrmosidae) of Vietnam: faunal review and new distributional records, Zootaxa 5668 (1), pp. 1-104 : 27

Bischoffitilla mammallifera ( Chen, 1957)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B761B029-E874-460E-8715-9AF602E61DD4

( Figs 7C, 7D)

Squamulotilla mammallifera Chen, 1957: 143 , ♂, holotype ♂ ( Tienmushan [= Tianmu-shan], Chekiang [= Zhejiang], China) [unknown]; He et al. 2004: 960, ♂

Bischoffitilla mammalifera [sic]: Lelej 2002: 127; Lelej 2005: 27; Hua 2006: 299. Incorrect subsequent spelling.

Bischoffitilla mammallifera : Pagliano et al. 2020: 142.

Material examined. 8♂. Vietnam: DAK LAK: Chu Yang Sin NP, near dam, 800–940 m, 2–10.VI.2007, C. v. Achterberg & R. de Vries leg., malaise [1♂ RMNH]; Chu Yang Sin NP, near river, 740 m, 1–10.VI.2007, C. v. Achterberg & R. de Vries leg., malaise [1♂ RMNH]; Chu Yang Sin NP, Krong K’Mar, 760 m, 21–26.X.2005, C. v. Achterberg & R. de Vries leg., malaise [1♂ RMNH] ; DONG NAI: Cat Tien NP, eco-trail, 100 m, 13–20.V.2007, C. van Achterberg & R. de Vries leg., malaise [3♂ RMNH]; Cat Tien NP, bird trail, 100 m, 1–9.X.2005, C. van Achterberg & R. de Vries leg., malaise [1♂ RMNH]; Cat Tien NP, Ficus Trail, 100 m, 9–30.IV.2007, M.P. Quy & N.T. Manh leg., malaise [1♂ RMNH] .

Identification source. Keyed using Chen (1957) and compared with the original description.

Previous record. None.

Distribution. China. Vietnam *: Dak Lak, Dong Nai.

Occurrence in Vietnam. April to June, October. Southern Annamites montane rain forests and Southeast Indochina dry evergreen forests ecoregions. 100–940 m alt.

Sex association. Female unknown.

Remarks. This species can be recognized by the presence of a mesal tooth on the second metasomal sternum and two tubercles on the hypopygium. The Vietnamese specimens appear to have the tooth on the second metasomal sternum slightly smaller than described by Chen (1957); this could be regional variation, misinterpretation of Chen’s meaning, or evidence that these specimens belong to a distinct species. In other characters, the specimens from Vietnam fit Chen’s description well. Unfortunately, the holotype of this species was not found among Chen’s voucher specimens in TARI (JO pers. obs.).