Phthiria sharafi, El-Hawagry, Magdi S. & Al Dhafer, Hathal M., 2014

El-Hawagry, Magdi S. & Al Dhafer, Hathal M., 2014, Phthiria sharafi sp. nov., a new record of the subfamily Phthiriinae (Bombyliidae, Diptera) from Saudi Arabia, Zootaxa 3872 (4), pp. 387-392 : 388-391

Phthiria sharafi sp. nov.

( Figs. 2–5 , 7–9 )

Diagnosis. This species keys nearest to Phthiria salmayensis Efflatoun, 1945 , using Efflatoun’s (1945) key, but is differentiated from it by the darker appearance especially in the male; the black hairs at the sides of the abdominal tergites; and the shape and structure of genitalia that in Phthiria sharafi sp. nov. ( Figs. 7–9 ) has gonocoxites longer than broad, with subparallel sides and their posterior processes two times as long as broad with hairs sparse, few, weak and located mainly at their tips; the narrow distiphallus is about third the length of the thick basiphallus; also the lateral epiphallic process (sensu: Evenhuis, 1990) is undulated. However in P. salmayensis ( Fig. 6 ) the gonocoxites are as broad as or broader than long, barrel-shaped, with the posterior processes approximately as long as or slightly longer than broad; coarse black hairs cover all the posterior processes; the narrow distiphallus is only about one fifth the length of the thick basiphallus; and the lateral epiphallic process is not undulated.

Etymology. The patronymic name sharafi is proposed in honor of our colleague Dr Mostafa Sharaf, Plant Protection Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Description. Holotype male. Body length: about 4 mm, wing length: about 5 mm. Head ( Fig. 3 ): Frons generally blackish with short sparse black hairs, with sparse whitish pruinescence, becoming more dense laterally at level of antennal scape; pruinosity extends down on parafacials, especially on their outer margins; face short with few sparse black hairs; parafacials with few comparatively long hairs at oral margin; ocellar tubercle prominent black; occiput with short stout black hairs above and longer shining black mixed with whitish ones below; antennae entirely black with minute whitish scales and black hairs especially on scape and pedicel, flagellum about four times as long as its broadest part. Thorax: Scutum gray with three dark brownish gray longitudinal stripes, covered with sparse black hairs; pleura entirely shining black, with sparse long weak yellowish hairs, becoming more dense and longer on its posterior margin; scutellum gray, covered with short black hairs, basal and apical scutellar bristles long and black; wings broad and hyaline with dark brown venation; plumula white; halters brownish white with creamy knob; legs with coxae, trochanters, femora (except their apices) and tarsi blackish, apices of femora and tibiae yellowish to brownish, coxae with long black hairs. Abdomen: Dark brown to black, with white narrow stripes on the posterior border of each tergite; last two abdominal segments usually slightly bulging; hairs short black on dorsum of all tergites, long pale yellow at sides of tergites 1–3, long and predominantly black at sides of tergites 4–7; sternites entirely with pale yellow hairs. Male genitalia ( Figs. 7–9 ): Gonocoxites longer than broad, with subparallel sides, their posterior processes two times as long as broad with hairs sparse, few, weak and located mainly at their tips; narrow distiphallus about third the length of the thick basiphallus; also the lateral epiphallic process (sensu: Evenhuis 1990) is undulated.

Paratype female ( Figs. 4–5 ). Frons pruinescent white, yellow, or reddish yellow at sides, with abroad median longitudinal black stripe extending from ocellar tubercle down almost to base of antennae; median black stripe usually interrupted by a line of same pruinosity at transverse groove halfway between ocellar triangle and bases of antennae (at upper edge of the enlarged prominent portion of frons); frontal pruinosity extends lower to parafacials except for a triangular black area at sides and below each antenna. Thorax with frosty white coloration on humeral calli, proepisterna, anepisterna, laterotergites, and metepisterna. Abdomen with yellowish stripes on posterior borders of tergites, approximately occupying posterior half or more of each tergite especially at sides and narrower at middle. Spermatheca ( Fig. 10 ): capsule membranous and rounded; process recurved, heavily sclerotized and about three times as long as capsule; ducts membranous; ejection apparatus narrow, long and slightly sclerotized.

Material examined. Holotype male, KSA. Asir. Abha. Garf Raydah [1811.884' N, 4224.435'E, Alt. 2387 m], 7. VI.2014, Malaise trap (El-Hawagry, Al Dhafer, and Al Sunbati). Paratypes: 6 females, same data as holotype; 1 male and 4 females, same locality as holotype, 8. VI.2014, Malaise trap [all deposited in KSMA]; 2 males and 6 females, same locality as holotype, 8. VI.2014, Malaise trap [deposited in EFC].

Comparative material. 2 females and 2 males of the type series of Phthiria salmayensis Efflatoun, 1945 : W. El-Lega (South Sinai), VI–VIII.1942 [ EFC].

Figures

FIGURE 10. Spermathecae of a paratype female of Phthiria sharafi sp. nov.

FIGURES 2 – 5. Phthiria sharafi sp. nov.: 2. holotype male habitus, lateral view; 3. same, head, frontal view; 4. paratype female habitus, lateral view; 5. same, dorsal view.

FIGURES 6 – 9. Male Genitalia: 6. Phthiria salmayensis Efflatoun, 1945, ventral view; 7. Phthiria sharafi sp. nov., ventral view; 8. same, lateral view; 9. same, aedeagal tip, ventral view.