Aphaniosoma melitense Ebejer, 1993

Ebejer, Martin J., 2023, The genus Aphaniosoma Becker, 1903 (Diptera: Chyromyidae) in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, with descriptions of new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 872, pp. 1-161 : 102-104

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5852/ejt.2023.872.2131
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:05098E38-AB11-486E-8F28-8567DE6BC19C
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8018439
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/505487F2-B021-FFB1-FDFE-F9150AB53BC3
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Aphaniosoma melitense Ebejer, 1993
status

Treatment

Aphaniosoma melitense Ebejer, 1993 View in CoL

Fig. 56 View Fig

Aphaniosoma graecum Ebejer, 1995: 202 View in CoL , figs 4–5. Synonymized by Ebejer 1998: 212.

Material examined

EGYPT • 2 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; Alexandria, Abu Kir ; 20 Oct. 2003; P. Gatt leg.; beach, wrack; PG • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; MJE • 17 ♂♂, 7 ♀♀, preserved in alcohol; same collection data as for preceding; MJE • 1 ♀; Alexandria, Lake Elka ; 20 Oct. 2003; P. Gatt leg.; PG .

ISRAEL • 13 ♂♂, 10 ♀♀; ‘ Akko ; 29 Oct. 1994; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU • 2 ♀♀; ‘ Atlit ; 28 Apr. 1996; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU • 3 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 30 May 1995; SMNHTAU • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; ‘ En Afeq ; 17 May 1994; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU • 1 ♂; Hofit ; 21 Sep. 1994; F. Kaplan and A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Mikhmoret ; 21 Sep. 1994; F. Kaplan and A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU • 1 ♀; ‘ En Gedi ; 19 Mar. 1995; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU • 4 ♂♂; Ramat Aviv ; 27 May 2000; B. Merz leg.; MHNG • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; Antipatris; MHNG .

Remarks

The characteristic shape of abdominal tergite 5 of the male, with its broad ventro-lateral margins projecting posteriorly, is easily seen and highly diagnostic ( Fig. 56 View Fig ). This species varies greatly in colouration from almost entirely pale orange-yellow with barely noticeable scutal vittae to almost completely grey with entirely confluent scutal vittae. In both sexes, the frontal setulae are brown, short and all of almost equal length. The acrostichals reach beyond the hindmost dorsocentral seta and closely approximate the suture with the scutellum. Apart from the figures accompanying the original descrption, more figures are given in Ebejer (1998: 212, figs 37–38).

Distribution

Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Germany, Great Britain, Greece (Crete), France, Italy (including Sardinia and Sicily), Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Romania, Spain (including Balearic Islands), Tunisia, Turkey ( Ebejer 1993, 1998, 2005; Ismay & Clemons 2001; Andrade & Almeida 2010). New records for Egypt and Israel.