Ephutomma Ashmead, 1899

Ephutomma Ashmead, 1899 . J. N. Y. Ent. Soc. 7: 52, 53. Male, female.

Gender. Feminine.

Type species. Mutilla turcestanica Dalla Torre, 1897 (male) (replacement name for Mutilla incerta Radoszkowski, 1877 (male) not Spinola, 1841), by original designation. Mutilla incerta Radoszkowski, 1877: 38 , pl. 3, fig. 8 was described from males, and the lectotype of this species was designated by Lelej (1976b: 277). Ashmead (1899) proposed Ephutomma primarily for the female which had been erroneously described as that of M. incerta by Radoszkowski (1885: 21) and which is clearly a Pseudophotopsis André, 1896 (Ashmead specified the type species, as “ Mutilla incerta Radoszkowski ”, only under the female). This has caused much confusion. Suárez (1965b: 52) proposed the new name Pseudophotopsis asiatica for the female identified as Mutilla incerta Radoszkowski and designated it as the type species of Ephutomma Ashmead (female), but this is invalid since Article 70(a) of the Code then in force (ICZN, 1964) specified that the case should have been referred to the Commission; Suárez (1965b: 51) also proposed the new name Eremomyrme as a replacement name for Ephutomma (male). Kerzhner (in Lelej, 1976b: 277) commented on the type species: “The action by Suárez contradicts the rules of zoological nomenclature. Since the type species of Ephutomma is Mutilla incerta , and the lectotype is male (the species was originally described from male only), the name Ephutomma must be kept for males that were placed in this genus, and the name Eremomyrme Suárez must be considered as a junior objective synonym of Ephutomma .” (translated from Russian). In view of the above comments, and in accordance with the practice for Hoplomutilla Ashmead, 1899 for which the type species was also misidentified but for which the named species has been accepted rather than the intension, we accept the type species as given above (in accordance with Article 70.3.1 of the Code).

Taxonomic history. Reduced to subgeneric status (in Mutilla Linnaeus, 1758 ) by André, 1900: 136. Reinstated to generic status by André, 1902c: 19. Junior subjective synonym of Pseudophotopsis André, 1896 according to Brothers, 1975: 590 . Resurrected as distinct genus and senior objective synonym of Eremomyrme Suárez, 1965 by Lelej & Kabakov, 1980: 192. Valid generic name.

Sex association. The female of the type species was associated and identified (as Smicromyrme semenovi Skorikov, 1935: 312 ) by Lelej & Kabakov, 1980: 192. (The female of Ephutomma sensu Ashmead, 1899: 52 is Pseudophotopsis André, 1896 according to Suárez, 1965b: 51).

Distribution. Palaearctic, Oriental.