Anthrax zohrayensis El-Hawagry, 2002

El-Hawagry, Magdi S., 2021, Taxonomy of the genus Anthrax Scopoli (Diptera: Bombyliidae) in Egypt, Journal of Natural History 55 (9 - 10), pp. 597-624 : 620-623

Anthrax zohrayensis El-Hawagry, 2002 ( Figures 14 , 16 (f))

Anthrax zohrayensis El-Hawagry, 2002: 4 . Type locality: Egypt (Sinai: Wadi El-Arbaein ) .

Diagnosis

Male: Body dull black, 8–12 mm in length ( Figure 16 (f)). Frons dusted grey-yellow or brownish, with minute white scaly hairs and occasionally with white dust along the inner eye margins; covered with blackish hairs mixed with a few brownish ones. Face dusted white or yellowish, with white or yellow-white hairs, mixed with a few black ones. Occiput dusted pure white, with minute white scaly hairs along eye margins. Antennae black. Scutum and scutellum covered with grey-yellow, whitish and black tomentum, with white hairs on anterior margin and sides of scutum, intermixed with black; bristles black, occasionally mixed with very few yellowish ones on scutellum. Wings feebly smoky, with weak brownish basicostal infuscation reaching tip of vein R1, with four evident brown spots on origin of vein R4, on origin of vein R2+3 and cross-vein r-m, on base of cell m2, and larger one on bases of cells cua1 and dm; the latter extends up to base of veins R1 and Sc ( Figure 16 (f)). Halteres black-brown, pale buff at tip of knob. Legs black, covered with pure white scales. Abdomen with pale grey or yellow-white and black tomentum; with narrow transverse bands of white scales on posterior margins of 2nd to 7th tergites, frequently interrupted by dark scales on 3rd and 4th tergites thus forming a spotted design; also, a broad mid-dorsal bare space left between white scales covering the two or three apical segments. Sides and corners of 1st tergite with tufts of long grey-white to white hairs, which are sparsely present also on lower third of sides of 2nd to 3rd or 4th tergites. Apical tergites with sparse black hairs; however, 2nd to 4th tergites with black hairs at middle, and bi-coloured tufts consisting of black hairs above and white below at sides. Gonocoxites truncate, triangular; epiphallus simple, almost as long as aedeagus ( Figure 14 (a,b)).

Female: Similar to male; however, spots on wings somewhat darker, larger and more evident, and distal border of cell dm occasionally feebly tinged brownish showing a tendency to form another spot. White scales forming transverse bands on abdominal tergites usually interrupted only in centre, being thus divided by a black mid-dorsal longitudinal stripe. 7th tergite devoid of white scales but with long tufted bristly hairs. Spermatheca ( Figure 14 (c)) with a well-sclerotised spherical bulb and a long, well-sclerotised pump.

Material examined

Holotype male, W. El-Arbaein (South Sinai) (28.5469°N, 33.9530°E), August–September 1940 (Efflatoun, leg.); paratypes: 3 females, 1 male, same data as holotype; 1 female, W. Garagniyia (28.4758°N, 34.0012°E), June–August 1942 (Efflatoun, leg.); 4 males, 1 female, same data as holotype; 1 female, W. El-Lega (S. Sinai) (28.5469°N, 33.9530°E), June–September 1943 ( Efflatoun and Sh.M.,leg.); 1 female, W. El-Arbaein (28.5469°N, 33.9530°E), 6–7 August 1998 (El- Hawagry, leg.) [ EFC].

Figures

Figure 14. Anthrax zohrayensis: (a) hypopygium, lateral view; (b) tip of epiphallus, dorsal view; (c) spermatheca.

Figure 16. Anthrax spp., habitus: (a) A. galali; (b) A. moursyi; (c) A. pharaonis, neotype; (d) A. sticticus; (e) A. trifasciatus; (f) A. zohrayensis.