Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Mutillidae

Mutillidae

9.9
A family of wasps called velvet ants whose females are wingless and look like ants
  • noun
  • /mjuːˈtɪlɪdeɪ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Mutílidos
  • Naturalists have noted that female Mutillidae are wingless and resemble true ants.

Examples

  • Mutillidae are often called velvet ants due to the appearance of the females.

  • Many species in the Mutillidae family exhibit bright warning colors.

  • The sting of some Mutillidae can be extremely painful to humans.

  • The Mutillidae are fascinating insects to study.

  • Did you know that Mutillidae are often called velvet ants?

  • The Mutillidae family includes many species that mimic ants in appearance.

  • In the wild, the Mutillidae are known for their striking colors and unique behavior.

Synonyms

velvet ant
vsMutillidae
9.9

A solitary wasp with soft bright hair and wingless females

is the scientific family name used for that group rather than the common name

Surface Forms

Mutillidae singular
Mutillidaes plural

Morphology

Mutillidae = Mutilla (opaque) = Mutilla + idae

Although structurally Mutilla + -idae forms a family name, the taxonomic suffix '-idae' is specialized and will not transparently signal 'family of wasps' to general learners.

Etymology

Mutillidae comes from the insect name Mutilla plus the family ending -idae, which marks a 'family' of animals. A helpful way to remember it is to think of Mutilla like 'mute' because many females do not fly and walk on the ground like ants, so Mutillidae are the velvet-ants — a family of ant-like wasps.