Anthrax lucidus ( Becker, 1902 )

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 : 612-613

Anthrax lucidus ( Becker, 1902) ( Figures 9 , 15 (d))

Argyromoeba lucida Becker, 1902: 29 . Type locality: Egypt (Fayoum: Siala) .

Anthrax hassani Paramonov, 1935: 11 , 25, 26 (key only). Type locality: Egypt ( Mazghouna , Wadi Um-Girfan) .

Spongostylum nigrum Austen, 1937: 122 . Type locality: Palestine ( West Bank) .

Diagnosis

Male: Body distinctively shining black, 7.5–10 mm in length ( Figure 15 (d)). Head with black hairs mixed with brown-yellow scales. Upper part of face grey dusted. Occiput brownish, its cavity margin fringed with brown hairs. Scutum surface with black hairs mixed with short brownish scaly hairs especially at lateral margins. Scutellum and coxae with black hairs. Dorsal sides of alar calli covered with yellow-white scales. Legs black with blackbrown scales. Wings entirely hyaline except for basal half of cell r1 and extreme wing base which are tinged faint brownish. Abdominal tergites 1–4 with mainly black or dark brownblack hairs except for white tufts at anterior corners of 1st tergite; the last three tergites with long yellow-white hairs mixed with a few blackish ones at middle of posterior margins; 2nd and 3rd abdominal tergites with narrow transverse bands of broad silvery white scales at posterior margins; 4th and 5th tergites as well as middle of 6th tergite covered with narrow short yellow-white scales, these scales more extensive and dense on 5th tergite; 6th and 7th tergites, except for a narrow part at middle, entirely covered with broad silvery white scales. Gonocoxites ( Figure 9 (a)) with apical prolongations, with black, short, stout, spine-like setae apically; epiphallus with thin, pointed spines before the tip and smaller ones at the tip ( Figure 9 (b)).

Female: Like male but wings are feebly infuscated about base. Abdominal hairs usually black except at sides of 1st tergite where they are dense and white. Only sides of 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 7th tergites with silvery white scales found on posterior corners of the 2nd and 3rd tergites, and on anterior corners of 6th and 7th tergites. Spermatheca ( Figure 9 (c)) with a balloon-shaped sclerotised bulb.

Material examined

Lectotype female of A. hassani Paramonov, Mazghouna (29.7457°N, 31.2633°E), 30 March 1923 (Efflatoun, leg.); [ ESEC]. 1 male, W. El-Lega (28.5469°N, 33.9530°E), 6 September 1943 (Efflatoun, leg.); 1 male, 1 female, W. El-Rahba (28.8200°N, 33.6419°E), 21–24 April 1940 (Efflatoun, leg.); 1 female, W. Rishrash (29.4642°N, 31.3672°E), 12–17 June 1932 (Tawfik, leg.); 1 male, W. Gedeirat (30.6500°N, 34.4333°E) (N. Sinai), 26 March 1936 (Efflatoun, leg.) [ EFC]. 1 male, 1 female, W. El-Arbaein (28.5469°N, 33.9530°E), 21–22 May 1997 (M. El-Hawagry); 2 males, 2 females, W. El-Arbaein (28.5469° N, 33.9530°E), 3 June 1998 (M. El-Hawagry); 1 female, W. Gebal (28.5447°N, 33.9440°E), 20 August 1995 (M. El-Hawagry) [ MSHC]. Tunisia: Tuzeur , 24–28 March 1978 (K.M. Guichard, leg.) [Personal collection of late D. Greathead in 1998].

Figures

Figure 9. Anthrax lucidus: gonocoxites,ventral view; (b) tip of epiphallus, 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.