Euchariomyia dives Bigot

Evenhuis, Neal L. & Gang, Yao, 2016, Review of the Oriental and Palaearctic bee fly genus Euchariomyia Bigot (Diptera: Bombyliidae: Bombyliinae), Zootaxa 4205 (3), pp. 211-225 : 214-222

Euchariomyia dives Bigot

( Figs. 1–15 )

The following is a cresonymy of all the species-group names and generic combinations found in the literature for this species (names in bold refer to originally proposed available names):

Bombylius pulchellus Wulp, 1880: 164 . Type locality: Indonesia (Java) [Holotype ♀ (lost) in RMNH]. [Preoccupied by Loew, 1863]. Wulp 1900: 53; Brunetti 1909a: 457 (in synonymy with Bombylius wulpii ); Brunetti 1920: 264 (in synonymy with Bombylius wulpii ); Senior-White 1923: 7 (in synonymy with Bombylius wulpii ); Bowden 1975: 171 (in synonymy with Bombylius dives ); Grewal & Kapoor 1987: 631 (in synonymy with Bombylius dives ); Evenhuis & Greathead 1999: 149 (in synonymy with Euchariomyia dives ); Yang et al. 2012: 273 (in synonymy with Euchariomyia dives ).

Euchariomyia dives Bigot, 1888a : cxl [ Bigot 1889: cxl (as “ Eucharimyia ”). Type locality: Sri Lanka. [Holotype ♂ in BMNH]. Liu et al. 1995: 11; Evenhuis 1991: 39; Evenhuis & Greathead 1999: 149; Banerjee & Mitra 2006: 18; Yao et al. 2009: 63 ; Yang et al. 2012: 273.

Eucharimyia dives Bigot, 1888b : cxlvii (unjustified emendation).

Eucharimyia dives Bigot in Mik, 1888 : xxx (unjustified emendation).

Eucharimyia dives Bigot : Wulp 1896: 73; Wulp 1900: 53 (in synonymy with Comastes pulchellus ); Brunetti 1909a: 457 (in synonymy with Bombylius wulpii ); Meijere 1914: 33 (in synonymy with Comastes pulchellus ); Bezzi 1924: 5 (in synonymy with Bombylius pulchellus ); Hall 1976: 5 (in synonymy with Eucharimyia pulchella ); Hull 1973: 102 (in synonymy with Eucharimyia pulchella ); Evenhuis 1991: 39 (in synonymy with Euchariomyia dives ).

Comastes pulchellus ( Wulp): Wulp 1885 : 85; Bigot 1892: 162; Wulp 1896: 74; Brunetti 1909a: 457 (in synonymy with Bombylius wulpii ); Meijere 1914: 33; Senior-White 1923: 7 (in synonymy with Bombylius wulpii ).

Eucharimyia pulchellus (Wulp) : Kertész 1909: 147; Becker 1913: 492; Bezzi 1924: 5; Painter 1932: 254 (in synonymy with Bombylius wulpii [as “ wulpi ”]).

Bombylius wulpii Brunetti, 1909a: 457 (new replacement name for Bombylius pulchellus Wulp, 1880 ). Brunetti 1909b: 226; Brunetti 1920: 264; Dover 1921: 394; Senior-White 1923: 7; Bowden 1975: 171 (in synonymy with Bombylius dives ); Evenhuis & Greathead 1999: 149 (in synonymy with Euchariomyia dives ).

Bombylius scintillans Brunetti, 1909b: 224 . Type locality India (Kerala). [Holotype ♂ in NZSI]. Senior-White 1923: 8 (in synonymy with Bombylius wulpii ). Bowden 1975: 171 (in synonymy with Bombylius dives ); Grewal & Kapoor 1987: 361 (in synonymy with Bombylius dives ).

Bombylius brunettii Senior-White, 1922: 203 . Type locality: Sri Lanka. [39 ♂♀ syntypes in BMNH]. Senior-White 1923: 5; Painter 1932: 353. New synonymy.

Bombylius wulpi: Painter 1932: 354 (incorrect subsequent spelling of wulpii ).

Eucharimyia dives Bigot: Berktau 1889 : 118; Oustalet 1890: 762; Sharp 1890: 286; Hull 1973: 102 (in synonymy with Eucharimyia pulchella ).

Eucharimyia pulchella (Wulp) : Hull 1973: 102.

Bombylius dives (Bigot) : Bowden 1975: 171; Grewal & Kapoor 1987: 631.

Euchariomyia brunettii (Senior-White) : Evenhuis & Greathead 1999: 149.

Euchariomyia pulchella (Wulp) : Evenhuis & Greathead 1999: 149 (in synonymy with E. dives ).

Euchariomyia wulpii (Brunetti) : Evenhuis & Greathead 1999: 149 (in synonymy with E. dives ).

Euchariomyia scintillans (Brunetti) : Evenhuis & Greathead 1999: 149; Banerjee & Mitra 2006: 18.

Description. Male (Habitus Figs. 1 , 3). Body length 3.5–6.0 mm, wing length 5–7 mm.

Head. Black; face with long sparse black hairs laterally, bare, shining medially; sides of frons just above antennae with long white scales; oral margin produced, shining, bare, mentum with ridge of posterior portion of oral margin extending below eyes in some specimens, subtrapezoidal, rounded and more reduced in others; eyes holoptic, with large facets in upper third, grading to smaller facets in lower two thirds (in life: green with longitudinal magenta line angled in upper third in area of (but not demarcating)gradation of large to small facets, angled slightly downward, running from level of antennae posteriorly to middle of posterior eye margin; cf. Fig. 6), contiguous for nearly 2/3 length of vertex to antennae; occiput with long stiff black bristles [these bristles replaced by yellow in females, see below] admixed with finer yellow hairs and tomentum; antenna ( Fig. 7) blackish gray; scape cylindrical, 3.5–4.0 times length of pedicel, with long black hairs; pedicel nearly as long as wide, with short sparse black hairs; first flagellomere elongate, length 10 times pedicel, with microscopic white scales on surface, tip with a clear minute stylus; antennal ratio: 6:2:20; proboscis thin, black, labellum thin, pointed; proboscis extending well beyond oral margin up to 8 times head length; palpus one-segmented, short, black, barely exceeding oral margin, with long black hairs.

Thorax ( Figs. 8–9 ). Black, gray pollinose except pronotum, postpronotal lobes, postalar calli, and scutellum brown pollinose; hairs and long thin tomentum on thorax mostly yellow, bristles black; postpronotal lobe with long yellow hairs; 3 prealar macrochaetae; with tuft of long white prealar scales; postalar callus with 3 macrochaetae; pleura with yellow (typical), black, or admixture of yellow and black hairs; anepimeron bare; katepisternum with tuft of white scales along upper edge (typical Sri Lankan specimens; Fig. 8 ) or scales absent and replaced by black hairs (cf. Fig. 9 ); scutellum predominantly bare with yellow tomentum at base and lateral margin, black hairs on posterior margin.

Legs. Long slender, dark brown; coxae with admixed black and yellow hairs (typical) or all hairs black, otherwise hairs and setae on legs black; femora with long sparse black hairs; tibiae and tarsi with short black hairs; claws minute; pulvilli as long as claws.

Wing ( Fig. 10 ; showing wing interference pattern). Almost completely infuscated dark brown to light brown (some Sri Lankan specimens completely infuscated), with clear to subhyaline distal cells; cell r5 closed before wing margin by stalk, length of stalk 1. 5 times width of crossvein r-m; costal hook absent; crossvein r-m slightly before middle of cell dm making cell bm longer than cell dm; dark spot in cell bm on angle close to cell br and cell dm; anal lobe and alula well developed, with fringe of dark brown hairs; halter stem and knob brown. Wing interference pattern evident in posterior margin of wing consisting of successive magenta, golden, and blue-green bands; distalmost cells with turquoise blue in the center surrounded by magenta, golden, and blue-green banding.

Abdomen ( Figs. 11–12 ). Black; dorsum with dense white recumbent scales covering tergites II–VII, tergite I with orange-yellow hairs anteriorly and laterally and black tomentum posteriorly [see remarks section below for variation]; all tergites with long black hairs and sparsely admixed long thick erect white scale-like hairs laterally; sternites with black hairs.

Genitalia ( Figs. 13 ). Epandrium subquadrate, higher than long, nearly as wider than high in posterior view, cercus well exserted; gonocoxa subovate-triangular, distinctly narrowing apically in ventral view, narrow in lateral view; gonostylus widest at base, narrowed toward acute beaked tip in lateral view; epiphallus rather long, obtuse apically in dorsal view; aedeagal apodeme large, crescent-shaped in lateral view; lateral rami relatively wide, foliate.

Female ( Figs. 2 , 4, 5, 14). Body length 4–6 mm, wing length 5–7 mm.

Head black; eyes dichoptic; frons 2 times width of ocellar tubercle at vertex, widening below to 4 times its width at level of antennae, with yellow scale-like tomentum, tuft of silvery white tomentum laterally; face bare, shining medially, with sparse long black hairs laterally and tuft of silvery white tomentum below and lateral to antennae; eyes with all facets same small size (in life, dark green in upper third, brassy green in lower two thirds, separated by steeply sloped magenta line running from level of mid-frons backward and downward to middle of posterior eye margin); occiput with yellow hairs and bristles and tomentum; antenna black; scape cylindrical, 2.5 times longer than wide, with black long hairs; pedicel nearly as long as wide, with short sparse black hairs; first flagellomere elongate, 14 times longer than wide, with microscopic white scales on surface, tip with clear stylus; antennal ratio: 5:2:20. Proboscis black with microscopic black hairs, nearly three times longer than head from laterally view; palpus one-segmented, short, black with long black hairs.

Thorax black, gray pollinose laterally and posteriorly, scutellum brown pollinose; hairs and tomentum on thorax mostly yellow, lateral macrochaetae black; postpronotal lobe with yellow long hairs, mesonotum with yellow long hairs anteriorly; three prealar macrochaetae; tuft of long silvery white hair-like scales near wing base; three postalar macrochaetae; prescutellar area with opalescent scales; scutellum almost bare, with yellow tomentum and opalescent scales anteriorly and laterally; scutellum with black bristles and thinner black hairs on posterior edge.

Legs as in male.

Wing as in male (cf. Fig. 10 ).

Abdomen (cf. Figs. 2 , 4, 5). Black; hairs on abdomen black; dorsum with dense fiery orange recumbent tomentum and sparse erect black hairs on most tergites (pattern varies in populations); tergite I and II with black hairs and tomentum dorsally and minute opalescent scales dorsolaterally; tergites II and IV with tuft of white scales laterally; sternites with dense golden tomentum and black hairs (typical) or no tomentum and all black hairs.

Genitalia ( Fig. 14). Tergite VIII band-shaped with a triangle-like projection medially in posterior view, tergites IX–X trapezoidal, divided medially in posterior view, with more than ten acanthophorite spines on each side; cercus ovate and curved close at middle in ventral view; three spermathecae; spermathecal bulb globular, slightly longer than wide; apical spermathecal duct long thin, with apical valve midway between spermathecal bulb and sperm pump.

Material Examined. Some 388 specimens from the following localities: CHINA (Oriental): Guangxi : 12♂, 15♀, Longzhou, Nonggang National Nature Reserve field station, 3 Jul 2008, Guoquan Wang ( CAU) ; 15♂, 25♀, same data, 4 Jul 2008, Guoquan Wang ( CAU) ; 1♂, same data, 13 May 2006, Kuiyan Zhang ( CAU) ; 1♀, same data, 12 May 2006, Kuiyan Zhang ( CAU) ; 15♀, same data, 3 Jul 2008, Guoquan Wang ( CAU) ; 25♀, same data, 4 Jul 2008, Guoquan Wang ( CAU) ; 5♂, 3♀, same data, 22°28.459'N, 106°57. 441'E, 726 ft, 18 Jun 2014, N.L. Evenhuis ( BPBM) ; 1♂, same data, on road to National Nature Reserve , 19–20 Jun 2014, 22°27.997'N, 106°57.157'E, 905 ft, on white composites, N. L. Evenhuis ( BPBM) ; 2♀, Chongzuo, Taiping, Maan village , 3 Jul 2008, Guoquan Wang ( CAU) . CHINA (Palaearctic): Beijing: 1♂, Changping, Ming Tombs , Jul 1956, Qiang Wu ( CAU) ; 1♀, Mentougou, Miaofeng Mountain , 27 Jun 1955, Yan Weng ( CAU) ; 1♀, same data, Zhang ( CAU). Shandong : 1♂, Tai’an, Mount Taishan , 27 Jun 1998, Aiping Cui ( CAU) ; 1♂, Tai’an, Mount Taishan, Puzhao Temple , 22 Jun 2000, Chen Chen ( CAU) ; 1♂, Tai’an , same data, 22 Jun 2000, Xingdong Zhu ( CAU) ; 1♂, Tai’an, Culai Mountain , 9 Jul 2000, Pinhong Chen ( CAU) ; 1♂, same data, 9 Jul 2000, Wei Dai ( CAU) . INDIA: Kerala: 12♂ ♀, Malabar, Walayar Forest , Apr 1956, Sep 1956, Sep 1959, P.S. Nathan ( BPBM). Madras : 15♂ ♀, Anamalai Hills, Cinchona , Apr 1956, May 1956, Oct 1956, Aug 1957, Apr 1958, Oct 1959, P. S. Nathan ( BPBM). INDONESIA (Sumatra) : 1♀, West Sumatra, Lebong Tudai, 60 • 15, E. I.C. ( BMNH) (new record). LAOS : 2♂, 1♀, Oudomxay Province, Xay District, Khone village , 20°35.639'N, 101°56.243' E, 790 m, 24 Jun 2015, Yao Gang ( BPBM) ; 1♂, 1♀, same data ( CAU) ; 13♂, 20♀, Pak beng 2 km N, 19°56.322' N, 101°10.876'E, 25 Jun 2015, Yao Gang ( CAU) ; 1♂, 1. 6 km S. Ban Hat Kho, Luang Phabang District , G.R. Ballmer [from photo] ( UCR) (new records) . MALAYSIA (Peninsular): Kedah: 1♀, Langkawi Is , west coast, 22 Apr 1928, H.M. Pendlebury ; 2♀, same data, 25, 26 Apr 1928, P. Dayang Bunting, H. M. Pendlebury ; 1♀, near Jitra catchment area, 10 Apr 1928, H.M. Pendlebury. Kelantan : 1♀, Tumpat , 25 Jul 1926 ; 6♂ ♀, Kota Bharu , Nov 1963 ; 1♀, Kota Bharu beach, 31 Mar 1990, D.J. Greathead (all BMNH) (new records) . SRI LANKA: Holotype ♂ of E. dives from “ Ceylan! J. Bigot ” ( BMNH; right wing missing; notes taken by senior author during numerous visits in the 1990s and early 2000s) ; 39♂ ♀ syntypes of Bombylius brunettii from Matale, Opagalla, Habaranam Kanthalai, Trincomalee, Tamblegam, and Sober Island ( BMNH; notes taken by senior author during numerous visits in 1990s and early 2000s) ; 41♂ ♀, Tantarimilai , 31 Oct 1976 ; 1♂, Ekgal Aru , 12 Jun 1976 ; 5♂ ♀, Padaviya , 20 May 1976, 20–23 Jul 1978 ; 1♀, Tennamaravadi , 18 May 1976 ; 1♂, Lahagal Tank , 14–15 Jun 1976 ; 25♂ ♀, Trincomalee , China Bay, 27–31 Jan 1977, 8–11 Oct 1977, 24–25 Jul 1978, 26 Feb 1979 ; 1♂, Mau Ara , 30 Sep–1 Oct 1978 ; 1♀, Palatupana Tank , 18– 20 Jan 1979 ; 1♂, Kabissa Jungle , 1–3 Mar 1979 ; 1♂, Belihuloya Rest House , 10–11 Apr 1979 ; 2♂, Wilpattu National Park , 1 Nov 1977 ; 22♂ ♀, Hunuwilagama , 28 Oct–3 Nov 1976 ; 1♀, Gilimale , 19–22 Jun 1976 ; 6♂ ♀, Monagarala , 6 Jun 1975 ; 2♀, Halaka Circuit Bungalow , 30–31 May 1975 ; 1♂, Inginiyalagala , 6–7 Sep 1975 ; 1♂ 1♀, Buttala , 5 Jun 1975 ; 1♀, Uttawatakele , 14–20 Apr 1975 ; 4♂ ♀, Uda Wallawe , 1 Aug 1973 ; 14♂ ♀, Badagamuwa Jungle 24–27 Jan 1975 ; 4♂ ♀, Kurunagala , 24–25 Jan 1975 ; 1♂, Wellawaya , 8 Mar 1972 ; 1♀, Ella , 5 Jun 1975 ; 1♂, Uggalkaltota , 10–14 Oct 1970 ; 2♀, Maniyangana , 30 Mar–9 Apr 1971 (all USNM) ; 3♂, Bibile , 10 Aug 1963 ; 1♂, 2♀, Trincomalee , 30 Oct 1980 ; 2♀, Mahaganay; 1♂, Yatiyanthota , Mar 1902 ; 2♂, Peradeniya , 15 Mar 1979 (all BMNH). THAILAND: Nakhon Ratchasima Province : 1♂, 60 km S Nakhon Ratchasima, 24 Mar 1971, P. & P. Spangler, Malaise trap ( USNM) ; Satun Province: 1♂, Tarutao I: Ao Moiae , 6°40'26"N, 99°38'20"E, 3 m, 15 Feb 2014, UCREnt427939, G.R. Ballmer ; 1♀, same data, Ao Jaak , 6°40'50"N, 99°38'29"E, 15 Feb 2010, UCREnt277777, G.R. Ballmer ; Lampang Province: 1♀, Meuang Lamp District: Jangheua Canton Village , 21 Jun 1968, UCREnt60038, G.R. Ballmer ; Chaing Mai Province: 1♀, 22 km W of Hot , 3 Jun 2000, UCREnt59990 ; 1♀, same data, Thung Phong , 18°46'16"N, 98°52'00"E, 450 m, 24 May 2000, UCREnt41902, G. R. Ballmer (all UCR) . VIETNAM: Nghe An Province: 2♂, 1♀, Que Phong , 250 m, 7–8 Jul 1997, H. Kurahashi ( BPBM) ; Son La Province: 5♀, E of Ban Song, Deo Cao Pha , 420 m, 22–23 Jun 1997, H. Kurahashi ( BPBM) (new records).

Remarks. Examination of almost 400 specimens from a wide range of localities shows that males exhibit variation in vestiture pattern and color, especially so on the abdomen. Females seem to be fairly consistent in body and vestiture coloration [rubbing of abdominal tomentum has led to misinterpretations of a medially interrupted pattern of orange on the abdomen or (as in the case of E. brunettii ) description of a new species. We have seen females that exhibit this interrupted pattern and in all cases, it was the result of rubbing]. In all specimens exhibiting variation in pile color and vestiture patterns, examination of genitalia has shown these specimens belong to the same species. Species determined as E. scintillans (Brunetti) (from southern India) and E. brunettii (Senior- White) (from Sri Lanka) by John Bowden (who indicated in label notes he had compared specimens with types) show that both species fall within the range of variation shown in E. dives and are treated here as new junior synonyms of E. dives . It is unclear as to why Brunetti (1909b) described his new species scintillans when he had remarked upon wulpii [= E. dives ] in the same paper and said that the Javanese female was the same as a female collected in southern India and the description of scintillans easily fits E. dives . Senior-White (1923) apparently noticed this and synonymized scintillans with wulpii . The situation with E. brunettii is a case of mistaken identity. Senior-White (1922) indicated differences between wulpii and his new species brunettii ; however, in the case of males, the differences in tufts of scales on the thorax and the amount of white scales on the abdomen are variable characters (borne out in this study by comparison of male genitalia of the two as being exactly the same), while the main difference between females given by Senior-White was that brunettii did not have the fiery red scales on the abdomen (obviously Senior-White had rubbed females at hand). In his Indian catalogue one year later, Senior- White (1923) maintained his brunettii and wulpii as separate species. Although we treat E. brunettii as a synonym of E. dives , in the slight chance that E. dives and E. brunettii may be separate species, we encourage molecular analysis to investigate further the relationships between these populations.

The major significant variable characters that have been observed in specimens of E. dives in this study are as follows:

(1) pile color of the male first abdominal tergite;

(2) tufts of white scales on the katepisternum;

(3) pile color of the male pleura and coxae;

(4) the amount of silvery white scales covering the abdomen in males; and

(5) color of hairs and tomentum on female sternites

With regard to the first variable character, the vast majority of specimens from Sri Lanka (the type locality of E. dives ) have this pile orange, yellowish orange, or brownish orange (see Fig. 8 ); all other populations have this pile black or dark brown (see Fig. 9 ).

The second character seems to vary among specimens (e.g., Sri Lankan and Vietnamese) where those specimens with all black hairs on the pleura lack a tuft of white scales on the katepisternum or if there is an admixture of black and orange to yellow hairs there can be no scales or only a few scales (in the latter case, at first glance it appears there are no scales, but they are transparent and difficult to see in all angles); whereas those specimens with all orange hairs possess a distinct tuft (e.g., cf. Fig. 8 ).

With regard to the third variable character, males vary in the color of pleural pile and coxal pile. Many specimens from Sri Lanka have been seen with the typical yellowish to orange-yellow pile (fitting the description of E. dives ) and others from there have all black pile (cf. Fig. 9 ). A few specimens from Sri Lanka have also been examined that have the pleural pile consisting of admixed yellowish and black hairs.

With regard to the fourth character above, males from a number of countries can vary considerably in the extent of white scales coverage on the abdomen (cf. Figs. 11–12 ). Perfect specimens have been seen with almost all tergites covered with white scales or, at the other extreme, these scales restricted to just tergites IV–VII in which case the basalmost tergites have black tomentum and hairs in place of the white scales. Other specimens with an appeared limited covering of while scales were seen be rubbed.

The thoracic and abdominal scales of both males and females are highly ephemeral and subject to easy rubbing and removal. We have collected perfect specimens only to have the scales come off during transport to the lab for pinning. Pinning in the field can also cause rubbing of scales and hairs if specimens are not handled carefully. [Note: the abdomen of female brunettii specimens were no doubt rubbed specimens. Examination of 136 specimens from Sri Lanka during this study has shown only a few with any orange scales; most have all or most scales rubbed off, and none had all the scales as seen in live specimens (cf. Figs. 2 , 4)].

With regard to the last variable character, the color of hairs and tomentum on the female sternites of typical Sri Lankan E. dives is predominantly yellow to orange tomentum with sparse black hairs; whereas virtually all other specimens (including a few from Sri Lanka) have no yellow or orange tomentum, but instead have sparse to dense black hairs and scattered black tomentum or the absence of tomentum.

Distribution ( Fig. 15): Burma, China (Beijing, Guangxi, Shandong), India (Kerala, Madras, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh), Indonesia (Java, Sumatra [new]), Laos (new), Malaysia (Kelantan, Penang) (new), Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam (new).

Figures

FIGURE 10. Euchariomyia dives Bigot, male wing, photographed to show wing interference pattern.

FIGURE 13. Euchariomyia dives Bigot, male genitalia. a. Gonocoxites, ventral view. b. epiphallic complex, lateral view; c. gonocoxite and gonostylus, lateral view; d. epandrium, lateral view; e. epandrium, dorsal view; f, epiphallic complex dorsal view.

FIGURES 1 – 2. Habitus of Euchariomyia dives Bigot, in Laos. 1, male; 2, female. Photos: Gregory R. Ballmer. FIGURES 3 – 4. Habitus of Euchariomyia dives Bigot, in India. 3, male; 4, female. Photos: © 2010 Jeevan Jose, Kerala, India is used here under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

FIGURES 8 – 9. Euchariomyia dives Bigot, male thoraces, lateral view. 8. “ Typical ” Sri Lankan specimen showing orange vestiture; 9. Atypical Sri Lankan specimen showing black vestiture.

FIGURES 11 – 12. Euchariomyia dives Bigot, male dorsal showing variation in abdominal tergal scaling.