Anthrax aethiops ssp. bezzii ( Paramonov, 1957 )

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 : 601-602

Anthrax aethiops ssp. bezzii ( Paramonov, 1957) ( Figures 1 , 15 (a))

Anthrax aethiops ssp. bezzii Paramonov, 1957: 143 . Type locality: Egypt ( Mariout , El-Burg, Wadi Hoff) .

Diagnosis

Male and female: Comparatively small- to medium-sized flies, about 5–8 mm in length ( Figure 15 (a)). Frons and face covered with black hairs. Occiput whitedusted especially at posterior edges of eyes. Scutum and scutellum covered with black hairs, mixed with some white ones on the anterior margin of scutum, in addition to brownish scaly hairs that become whitish and broader at posterior margins. Wings ( Figure 15 (a)) with conspicuous black-brown infuscation spread over more than the proximal half, leaving the distal portion, including the apical third of cell r1, entirely hyaline. The proximal pattern of infuscation consists of numerous irregular black-brown confluent spots. The dark spot on origin of vein R4 confluent with the upper dark colouration of wing; this spot may extend to cell r5 which is usually black-brown in basal half. A large black-brown spot found on the cross-vein m-m, sometimes slightly confluent with the infuscated half of cell r5. Cell cup and anal lobe infuscated, mainly with only small hyaline spots at middle and tip of each. Plumula white to brownish. Abdominal tergites 1–4 and anterior portion of 5th tergite covered with black scaly hairs in male, while in female, tergites 4 and 5 with broad brownish scales. Tergites 6 and 7 almost entirely covered with broad silvery white scales except for a more or less narrow mid-dorsal space in male, but these scales are less extensive on the same segments in female. Gonocoxites truncate, triangular, without apical prolongations ( Figure 1 (a)); epiphallus simple with hooked apex ( Figure 1 (b)). Spermatheca ( Figure 1 (c)) with a long, weakly sclerotised, club-shaped bulb.

Material examined

Lectotype male, Mariout (31.0172°N, 29.7600°E), 5 April 1924 (Efflatoun, leg.); 2 paralectotype females and 2 paralectotype males, Mariout (31.0172°N, 29.7600°E), 18 April 1925 (Efflatoun, leg.) [ ESEC]. 1 male Ein Gedeirat (30.6500°N, 34.4333°E), 13 April 1938 (Shafik, leg.); 1 female, Mallaha, Mariout (31.142062°N, 29.908066°E), 16 June 1929 (Efflatoun, leg.); 1 male and 1 female, Mirsa Matrouh (29.5696°N, 26.4194°E), August 1930 (Efflatoun, leg.) [ EFC].

Figures

Figure 1. Anthrax aethiops bezzii: (a) gonocoxites, ventral view; (b) hypopygium, lateral view; (c) spermatheca.

Figure 15. Anthrax spp., habitus: (a) A. aethiops bezzii; (b) A. dentatus; (c) A. greatheadi; (d) A. lucidus; (e) A. melanistus.