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Photo#461234
Velvet Ant - Dasymutilla - female

Velvet Ant - Dasymutilla - Female
Petrified National Forest, Arizona, USA
September 26, 2010
Size: ~ 1.5 cm
I found this in the Petrified Forest crawling around the tree dubbed "Old Faithful." I wasn't able to get its face. I'm pretty sure it's a mutillidae, probably a Dasymutillus. Is this enough to identify it to species? It was a speedy little bugger, and my only other picture is too out of focus to post. I'm hoping that dark band around its abdomen might be characteristic.

Moved
Moved from Thistledown Velvet Ant.

This seems to have more extensive erect hairs on the head and thorax, as well as darker integument. I'd like to get an additional opinion from Kevin Williams to make sure this isn't D. pseudopappus instead.

super!
Moved from ID Request.

Glorious!
Among the possibilities, and based on the location, I think this is Dasymutilla gloriosa, which in motion looks to me and some others like the fruit of a creosote bush blowing on the ground.

 
Thank you,
At first I thought it was a piece of plant fluff! There seems to be a lot of variability in body color on these.

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