Genus Dasymutilla

Classification · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Remarks · Works Cited

Cow Killer - Dasymutilla occidentalis - female

Yellow Velvet Ant - Dasymutilla bioculata - female

W Oregon Dasymutilla - Dasymutilla - female

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)

No Taxon (Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps)

Superfamily Pompiloidea (Spider Wasps, Velvet Ants and allies)

Family Mutillidae (Velvet Ants)

Subfamily Sphaeropthalminae

Tribe Dasymutillini

Genus Dasymutilla

Explanation of Names

Dasymutilla Ashmead, 1899

from the Latin dasy-, after the Ancient Greek δασύς, ('hairy') + Mutilla (referring to velvet ant genera)

from the nominate genus Mutilla Linnaeus, 1758, derived from the Latin mutilā, ('mutilate')

Numbers

98 spp. in our area(1)

Size

5-25 mm

Remarks

This genus includes the infamous D. occidentalis and D. klugii, which are known for their very large size (nearly 1 inch) and painful sting. D. klugii specifically ranks a 3 out of 4 on the Schmidt sting pain index and is the only species of velvet ant formally given this rank. However, members of this genus are highly variable in sting intensity. In contrast, the petite D. thetis (~5 mm) only ranks a 1. Medium-sized species (less than a half inch) such as D. gloriosa rank at a 2. Most species are not formally ranked but notably comprise primarily medium-sized species.(2)

Works Cited

1.	Keys to Nearctic Velvet Ants of the Genus Dasymutilla Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae)

2.	The Sting of the Wild: The Story of the Man Who Got Stung for Science Justin O. Schmidt. 2016. John Hopkins University Press: Baltimore, MD.

Contributed by Joel Kits on 17 March, 2005 - 11:22pm
Additional contributions by cotinis, Aaron Schusteff, v belov, PaleoJon
Last updated 6 August, 2022 - 12:09am

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