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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Bees, Ants, and other Stinging Wasps » Ants, Stinging Wasps, and Hornets (Vespoidea) » Velvet Ants (Mutillidae) » Pseudomethoca

Genus Pseudomethoca

Classification · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Identification · Internet References
small velvet ant - Pseudomethoca frigida - female unknown Mutillid - Pseudomethoca - female sweep net velvet ant - Pseudomethoca frigida - female pseudomethoca vanduzeii - Pseudomethoca vanduzei - male Velvet ant? - Pseudomethoca quadrinotata - female Mutillidae - Pseudomethoca? - Pseudomethoca bequaerti - female Mutillidae - Pseudomethoca? - Pseudomethoca bequaerti - female Velvet ant - Pseudomethoca simillima
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
No Taxon (Aculeata - Bees, Ants, and other Stinging Wasps)
Superfamily Vespoidea (Ants, Stinging Wasps, and Hornets)
Family Mutillidae (Velvet Ants)
Genus Pseudomethoca
Explanation of Names
Author of genus is Ashmead 1896.
Methocha (or sometimes spelled Methoca) is a genus of Tiphid wasps, so this genus name presumably means false Methoca (Internet searches).
Numbers
Nearctica.com lists 43 species.
Size
6-10 mm (females, various guide photos)
Identification
Univ. Florida--Velvet Ants--the key describes features of this genus:
eyes circular to slightly ovate (egg-shaped)
head less than twice the width of mesosoma (middle body segment); head not toothed
mesosoma narrowed in middle
pygidium usually with lateral carinae (strong ridges)
see above reference for more details
Internet References
Univ. Florida--Velvet Ants
Contributed by Joel Kits on 17 March, 2005 - 11:23pm
Additional contributions by cotinis
Last updated 2 April, 2008 - 6:34pm

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