Villa aegyptiaca Engel, 1937

El-Hawagry, Magdi S. & Greathead, David J., 2006, Review of the genus Villa Lioy (Bombyliidae, Diptera) from Egypt, with descriptions of two new species, Zootaxa 1113, pp. 21-32 : 24-25

Villa aegyptiaca Engel, 1937 (stat. nov.)

Villa albida var. aegyptiaca Engel, 1937: 572 (key only).

This species appeared to be a manuscript name because it was not described in Engel (1937) or included in his index. However, it is included in his key (p. 572). This validates the name, which was overlooked by Steyskal & El Bialy (1967) and by Evenhuis & Greathead (1999). No type material was designated but a single male specimen, with Engel's identification label was found in CUE*. Since there is the possibility that further specimens seen by Engel may exist elsewhere the specimen in CUE* is a syntype, which is here designated lectotype.

Villa albida Becker (1916) was described from Hungary and is listed for Italy by Evenhuis & Greathead (1999). The holotype male ( Ungarn, Sajo.) from ZMHB was examined. The Egyptian specimen ( V.aegyptiaca ) differs from it and the description of V. albida in having all white, not yellowish, vestiture, except for black hair and scales on the head only. V. albida also has black hair on the prosternum and pleura; the wing is completely hyaline and without a yellowish infuscation in the costal cell and at the base; white not brownish squama; legs brown with white scales, not black with brownish­white scales. There is no distinct patagium as is usual in Villa spp. The genitalia ( Fig. 3 ) were dissected and are unlike those of Villa efflatouni in having a simple flat spatulate epiphallus and a U­shaped gonostylus. We conclude that it is a distinct species and not a variety of V. albida . We hesitate to suggest that it be placed in a new genus pending the examination of further specimens including the spermathecae of females.

Material examined. Lectotype ɗ. EGYPT: Wadi Gharba, 14.iv.1927 ' Villa albida var. aegyptiaca E. O. Engel n. var. '. [ CUE *].

Figures

FIGURES 3 – 6. Male genitalia: 3. V. aegyptiaca Engel, lateral view; 4. V. bivirgata Austen: a. lateral view, b. tip of epiphallus; 5. V. cana Meigen: a. lateral view, b. tip of epiphallus; 6. V. micrargyra (Walker), lateral view.