Lispe dissimilis, Macquart, 1851

Pont, Adrian C., 2012, Muscoidea (Fanniidae, Anthomyiidae, Muscidae) described by P. J. M. Macquart (Insecta, Diptera), Zoosystema 34 (1), pp. 39-111 : 59-60

dissimilis Macquart, 1851 , Lispe

Lispe dissimilis Macquart, 1851b: 237 ( 1851d: 264) , pl. 24, figs 7, 7a. Lectotype ♂, “de l’Égypte. M. Bigot en a pris plusieurs individus au Caire.” ( Egypt, Cairo), by present designation, in OUMNH.

MATERIAL. — Described from both sexes, collected by Bigot. In the Bigot collection in OUMNH there are 2 ♂♂ and 2 ♀♀ syntypes. Macquart’s mistake in sexing these specimens is easily understood as ♂♂ of the genus Lispe Latreille, 1797 are dichoptic and were frequently mis-sexed by 19th century workers. The 2 ♂♂ actually represent two different species, but it is not possible to decide which of these was used by Macquart as the basis for his description: this is sufficiently imprecise to apply to either of them. Stein’s (1907b: 274) redescriptive notes could also apply to either specimen. I have labelled and designate herewith the ♂ without a head as lectotype. This agrees slightly better with Macquart’s statement “thorax à bandes noires, étroites” than does the 2nd ♂. This 2nd ♂ and the 2 ♀♀ have been labelled as paralectotypes.

The lectotype is in good condition apart from the missing head. The ♂ paralectotype lacks the left hind leg; the abdomen has been removed by me and the terminalia dissected; these are in a small vial of glycerine pinned with the specimen. 1 ♀ paralectotype is labelled by Macquart “ Lispe / dissimilis / ♂ ♀. Macq. n. sp.”. Bigot’s drawer label reads “ L. dissimilis . ♀. / Egyptus. / Macq.” .

In addition to these four specimens, the OUMNH series includes 1 ♂ and 1 ♀ labelled “ Maroc.” by Bigot. These are not syntypes. In MHNL, there is also a specimen without abdomen or hind legs in box F of the Macquart collection, with the label “L. / dissimilis / Macq. Egypte ”. This was recorded by Macquart (1850c: 534) as present in the MHNL collection. I have labelled it as paralectotype. There is no material in MNHN.

CURRENT IDENTITY. — The lectotype has been labelled by J. E. Collin as Lispe nuba Wiedemann, 1830 , and this identification is correct. The name Lispe dissimilis has been treated as a junior synonym of L. nuba in the standard works ( Stein 1919: 142; Hennig 1960b: 448; Pont 1986b: 189).

The OUMNH paralectotype ♂ is Lispe assimilis Wiedemann, 1824 , as defined by Shinonaga & Pont (1992: 718). The 2 ♀♀ paralectotypes and the MHNL ♂ are Lispe nuba ; the Morocco ♂ and ♀ in OUMNH are Lispe assimilis .