Sex biased size variation in velvet ants hymenoptera mutillidae
Deyrup, M.; Manley, D.
Florida Entomologist 69(2): 327-335
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0015-4040 DOI: 10.2307/3494937
Accession: 006405885
The relative sizes of male and female Mutillidae were studied at the Archbold Biological Station in south-central Florida [USA]. Females are larger than males in Dasymutilla pyrrhus (Fox), Pseudomethoca sanbornii aeetis (Fox), and P. oculata (Banks). Males are larger than females in Timulla dubitata dubitata (Smith), T. floridensis (Blake), Ephuta floridana floridana Schuster, E. margueritae margueritae Schuster, E. slossonae slossonae (Fox), Dasymutilla archboldi Schmidt and Mickel, and Photomorphus paulus (Bradley). There is no significant difference in Dasymutilla asopus bexar (Blake), D. nigripes (Fabricius), and D. castor (Blake). Sex-biased size variation may be associated with courtship behavior or host-seeking behavior.