Rossimyiops achilleae (Kugler) Kugler, 2009

Cerretti, Pierfilippo, Biase, Alessio De & Freidberg, Amnon, 2009, Systematic study of the genus Rossimyiops Mesnil (Diptera: Tachinidae), Zootaxa 1984, pp. 31-56 : 37-39

Rossimyiops achilleae (Kugler) comb. nov.

( Figs. 2 –10)

Mesnilomyia achilleae Kugler, 1972: 107 . Type locality: 'Arad ( Israel).

Type material examined. Holotype ɗ: 'Arad / Israel / 30.VI.1970 / leg. Kugler // Mesnilomyia # [sic!] / achilleae Kugler // HOLOTYPUS [ TAU]. Allotype: same data as holotype [ TAU]. Paratypes: ISRAEL – 1 ɗ, 1km South west to Jerusalem, 11.iv.1962, Avigdor; 3 ɗɗ 2 ΨΨ, 'Enot Qane [Treibe], 19.vii.1971, J. Kugler; 2 ɗɗ 1 Ψ, Be`er Sheva', 4.viii.1970, J. Kugler; 'Arad: 1 ɗ, 12.v.1970; 27 ɗɗ, 6 ΨΨ, 30.vi.1970 [1 female dissected to examine genital apparatus, eggs and larvae]; 1 ɗ 4 ΨΨ, 6.vii.1970; 2 ɗɗ, 15.viii.1970; 2 ΨΨ, 6.v.1971; 8 ɗɗ 3 ΨΨ, 1.vii.1971; 1 ɗ, 1 Ψ, 19.vii.1971, all J. Kugler. 1 ɗ 1 Ψ, Shivta, 4.vi.1970, J. Kugler [all TAU].

Other material examined. ISRAEL – 2 ΨΨ, Rosh Ha'Ayin, 11.v.1982, Nussbaum [this is the only nondesert record for this species, and we think it needs confirmation]; 3 ɗɗ, 3 ΨΨ, Nahal Ye'elim, 3km E 'Arad, 30.iv.1987, A. Freidberg; Nahal Sekher: 7 ɗɗ 1 Ψ, 19.vii.1984, 1 ɗ, 9.vii.2001, F. Kaplan, A. Freidberg; 1 ɗ, 'Avedat, 19.iv.1975, A. Freidberg; 1 ɗ, 'En 'Avedat, 29.iv.1984, A. Freidberg; 15 ɗɗ 2ΨΨ, 'En 'Aqev, 8.viii.1977, A. Freidberg; 1 ɗ, 'En Ziq, 8.viii.1977, A. Freidberg; 1 ɗ, Nizzanim, 10km W, 10.vi.1997, A. Freidberg (on Haplophyllum sp. ( Rutaceae )); 1 ɗ, Ramon, 950m, 8.v.2003, A. Freidberg; 18 ɗɗ 1 Ψ, Ha'Meshar, 9.viii.1977, A. Freidberg; 1 ɗ 1 Ψ, Paran, 11.iv.1992, A. Freidberg. EGYPT [labelled: Israel] – 1 ɗ, Sinai Mts. Wadi Shag, 17.vii.1974, A. Freidberg; 1 Ψ, Sinai Mts. El-Arbain, 14.vii.1974, F. Kaplan; 6 ɗɗ, Mitle, 8.ix.1977, D. Simon; 1 Ψ, Sinai Mts. St. Katharina, 18.vii.74, A. Freidberg [all TAU].

FIGURES 8–10. Rossimyiops achilleae (Kugler) . 8. Head and scutum in dorsal view (male: Israel, Har Ramon). 9. Cerci and surstylus in left lateral view (male: Israel, Ha'Meishar), scale bar: 0.1 mm. 10. distiphallus in ventral view (male: Israel, Ha'Meishar), scale bar: 50 µ m.

Diagnosis. Body length: 2.5–3.5 mm. Ventral facial margin well visible in lateral view, anterior to vibrissal angle ( Figs. 2, 3 ). Prementum about 4–5 times as long as its diameter ( Figs. 2, 3 ). Presutural area of scutum (as well as postsutural area) with three wide longitudinal dark vittae (lateral pair about as wide as medial vitta, reaching the transverse suture posteriorly) (Fig. 8). Scutellum with 2 pairs of marginal setae. Halter yellow to dark brown. Petiole of r4+5 0.3–0.5 (rarely more) as long as post-angular portion of M ( Figs. 6, 7 ). Base of R4+5 bare. Abdomen from shiny black to entirely covered with microtrichia. Male: vertex less than 0.13 times as wide as compound eye in dorsal view; wing anteriorly brownish ( Fig. 6 ); postpedicel 1.74–2.20 times as long as pedicel; surstylus long and narrow, distally bent posteriorly in lateral view (Fig 9); cerci, in lateral view, sinuous and apically hook-like (Fig. 9); dorsal lobes of distiphallus displaced anteriorly as in Fig. 10. Female: vertex, at it narrowest point, at least 0.68 times as wide as compound eye in dorsal view; postpedicel 1.72–2.47 times as long as pedicel; parafacial, in lateral view, 0.75–1.00 times as wide as postpedicel; fronto-orbital plate entirely and evenly covered with whitish-grey reflecting microtrichia ( Fig. 5 ); wing pattern as in Fig. 7 ; coxae varied from light brown, to red to yellowish.

Description. See original description ( Kugler 1972).

Hosts. Unknown.

Distribution. Egypt (Sinai), Israel ( Fig. 1 ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Known distribution of Rossimyiops spp.

FIGURES 2 – 7. Rossimyiops achilleae (Kugler). 2. Head in lateral view (holotype male). 3. Head in lateral view (paratype female: Israel, ' Arad). 4. Head in anterodorsal view (holotype male). 5. Head in anterodorsal view (paratype female: Israel, ' Arad). 6. Left wing in ventral view (holotype male). 7. Left wing in ventral view (paratype female: Israel, ' Arad).