Anthrax zohrayensis El­Hawagry, 2002

El-Hawagry, Magdi S., 2002, Three new species of anthracine bee flies (Diptera: Bombyliidae) from Egypt, Zootaxa 111, pp. 1-8 : 4-6

Anthrax zohrayensis El­Hawagry , sp. nov.

This species can be distinguished by the tufts of hairs (black above and white below) on sides of 2nd to 4th tergites, and also by the four evident brown spots on wing. In general appearance, it looks like Spogostylum tripunctatum Wiedemann to the naked eye.

Description:

Holotype (male); body length: 8­12 mm; wing length: 9­13 mm.

Head. Black in ground color. Frons grayish­yellow or brown dusted, with minute white scaly­hairs and occasionally white dust along the inner eye­borders; covered with blackish hairs mixed with few grayish­brown ones. Face densely pure white or yellowish dusted; with white or pale yellowish hairs, mixed with a few black ones. Occiput pure white dusted, with minute white scaly­hairs along eye borders. Vertex hardly more than twice width of ocellar tubercle. Antennae black; flagellum with proximal half much less bulbous than usual, about as long as scape and pedicel together. Thorax. dull black; mesonotum covered with grayish­yellow, whitish and black tomentum. Hairs on extreme anterior margin and sides white, intermixed with black. Bristles black, occasionally, mixed with very few yellowish ones on scutellum. Pleurae black, densely clothed with pure white dust and tomentum. Wings (fig. 5). Feebly smoky, with basal portion and coastal border to tip of R1 vein weakly infuscated brown; with four evident brown spots: one on rectangular base of cell r4, one on rectangular base of cell r2+3 as well as on r­m cross­vein, a pale smaller one on base of cell m2, and a larger one on base of cell cua1 and base of cell dm up to the base of R1 and Sc veins. r­m cross­vein placed well before middle of M1, immediately below base of R2+3. Plumula white. Halteres blackish­brown with knob more or less pale buff at tip. Legs. Black, clothed with pure white scales. Pulvilli normally developed, brownishgray. Abdomen. Dull black, with pale grayish or yellowish­white and black tomentum; with narrow transverse bands of white scales on lower borders of 2nd to 7th tergites. Tufts of grayish white to white long hairs on sides and corners of 1st tergite, and sparsely on lower third of sides of 2nd to 3rd or 4th tergites. Dorsum and apical segments with sparse black hairs, but sides of 2nd to 3rd or 4th tergites with bicolored tufts consisting of black hairs above and white below. The transverse bands of white scales on 3rd and 4th tergites frequently interrupted in parts by dark scales, thus forming a spotted design; also, a broad mid­dorsal space left denuded between white scales covering the two or three apical segments.

Male genitalia (fig. 6): Gonocoxites truncate, triangular. Aedeagal sheath simple, almost as long as aedeagus.

Paratype (female); body length: 8­12 mm; wing length: 9­13 mm.

As Holotype but the spots on wings somewhat darker, larger and more evident, and occasionally, the distal border of discal medial cell feebly edged with brown showing a tendency to form another spot. Vertex 3 times width of ocellar tubercle. White scales forming transverse bands on abdominal tergites usually interrupted only in center, being thus divided by a black mid­dorsal longitudinal stripe. 7th tergite devoid of white scales but with long tufted bristly hairs.

Spermatheca (fig. 7): With sclerotized bulb, and long well sclerotized pump.

Material examined: Holotype (male): W. El­Arbaein (South Sinai), VIII­IX.1940 (Efflatoun leg.), [ESC]. Paratypes: 3 females, 1 male, same data as Holotype; 1 female, W. Garagneyia, VI­VIII.1942 (Efflatoun leg.), [ESC]. 4 males, 1 female, same data as Holotype; 1 female, W. El­Lega (S. Sinai), VI­IX.1943 (Efflatoun & Sh,M. leg.); 1 female, W. El­Arbaein, 6­7.VIII.1998 (El­Hawagry leg.), [ EFC].