Anthrax pharaonis Paramonov, 1935

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 : 616-617

Anthrax pharaonis Paramonov, 1935 ( Figure 16 (c))

Anthrax pharaonis Paramonov, 1935: 15 , 30 (key only) [1936: 138]. Type locality: Egypt [holotype destroyed in EFC, and a neotype is herein designated] .

Diagnosis

Female: Body brown-black to black, about 9.5 mm in length ( Figure 16 (c)). Head dusted grey. Frons and face densely covered with black hairs, with only two bare stripes under the antennae; with numerous yellowish scales intermixed in the frons. Tip of oral margin appears sharply pointed when seen from below, not arched as in most other Anthrax spp. The oral cavity is extremely narrow, significantly narrower than the width of the vertex. Antennae with black hairs; flagellum onion-shaped, wider than pedicel, with the narrow part short, almost half the length of the basal part, and the stylus long, almost as long as the narrow part; pedicel lens-like in shape; scape slightly wider and almost 3 times longer than pedicel. Occiput covered with white scales. Bristles and hairs on scutum and scutellum almost yellowish, mixed with only a few sparse, weak black hairs on scutellum and posterior margin of scutum. Legs brown-black to black; fore tibiae yellowish; femora covered with yellowish scales, while tibiae and tarsi covered with blackish scales. Haltere yellowish. Wings almost entirely hyaline. Cell r5 significantly narrowed at wing margin. Abdomen densely covered with yellowish scales; 1st segment and sides of all segments with yellowish hairs, in addition to a few black hairs on the posterior margins of last segments. Anterior margins of 2nd to 5th tergites broadly covered with black scales.

Remarks

This species resembles those of the genus Villa in general appearance. Specimens could not be dissected.

Neotype designation

The holotype of this species at ESEC was destroyed. Fortunately, two female specimens with the same locality and date of collection as the holotype (i.e. topotypes) were found preserved in EFC. These specimens were compared with the holotype and identified by the late Prof. Efflatoun Bey, i.e. they are considered homeotypes. To clarify the taxonomic status of the species and for nomenclatural stability, the best preserved of the two specimens is herein designated a neotype.

Material examined

Neotype (herein designated), female, Mariout (31.0172°N, 29.7600°E), 24 May 1925; another specimen (topotype): same data as neotype [ EFC].

Figures

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