Wohlfahrtia erythrocera, Villeneuve, 1910

Dawah, Hassan A., Abdullah, Mohammed A. & Pape, Thomas, 2024, Sarcophagidae (Insecta: Diptera) of Saudi Arabia: new records, an updated checklist and a new species, Zootaxa 5418 (1), pp. 1-33 : 13-14

Wohlfahrtia erythrocera

( Fig. 26 )

Wohlfahrtia erythrocera Villeneuve, 1910: 147 . Type locality: Yemen, Socotra Archipelago, Socotra: Ras Shoab & Abd al-Kűrî.

Specimens examined. SAUDI ARABIA: 1♂, Asir, Abha, Madenate Al-Ameer Sultan, Hay Al-Sad , Malaise trap, 25.ii.–25.v.2002 ( MNWC) ; 1♂, same locality but 6–27.viii.2013 ( CERS) ; 1♂, Abha, Hay Al-Nusub ( Abha Farm Centre ), 18.vi–9.vii.2013, Malaise trap, H.A. Dawah ( CERS) . KENYA: 1♂, Coast Province, Tsavo East Nat Park, Ndara Plaias , Anuba lodge 444m, UTM 37 M 478485, 20.v.2006, sweep net, D. Avesani, G. Cerpaneto, G. Nardi & P. Cerretti ( NMWC) . NIGER: 2♂, Aïr Massif, Wadi Iberkam , 18º55’N 80º40’E, 23.vii.1983, P.C. Matteson ( NMWC) . OMAN: 10♂, 1♀, Jebe Al-Ta’iyeen , 28º26’N 58º16’E, 6.i.1989, M.J. Ebejer ( NMWC) ; 1♂, Wadi Al ligg, 23º10’N 58º06’E, 25.x.1990, M.D. Gallagher & J.C. Deeming ( NMWC) ; 1♂, Muscat, Ruwi , 4.x.1988, M.J. Ebejer, larvae from dung beetle Heliocopris gigas 3 wks from ova to adults ( NMWC) ; 1♂, E. Coast Djbab dunes with Limonium axillare , 13.ix.1992, M.D. Gallagher & J.C. Deeming ( NMWC) ; 3♂, Ruwi Wadi, Ada Aldai , 18.xii.1987, M.J. Ebejer ( NMWC) ; 7♂, 2♀, near Quriyat Fins , 10.xi.1989, thousands emerging from sand, M.J. Ebejer ( NMWC) ; 2♂, 1♀, Wadi Adai , 18.xii.1987, M.J. Ebejer ( NMWC) .

Distribution. Algeria, Eritrea, India, Iran, Iraq, Kenya, Libya, Mali, Niger *, Nigeria, Oman *, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Socotra, Somalia, Tanzania.

Remarks. First record from Saudi Arabia found in this study is by Dawah & Abdullah (2005). This species was reared from dead beetles and has been found breeding by the thousands in sand containing sardines in Oman (M. Ebejer, pers. comm.).

Figures

FIGURES 24–30. Species of Sarcophagidae, habitus, lateral view: (24) Sphenometopa fastuosa (Meigen, 1824), male (Asir, Abha, Madenate Al-Ameer Sultan); (25) Wohlfahrtia brunnipalpis (Macquart, 1851), male (Oman: Dhofar, Shuwaymiyah); (26) Wohlfahrtia erythrocera Villeneuve in Becker, 1910, male (Oman: E. Coast, Dibab); (27) Wohlfahrtia indigens Villeneuve, 1928, male (UAE, Sharjah desert Park); (28) Wohlfahrtia nuba (Wiedemann, 1830), male (N Cyprus: Alagadi Beach); (29) Blaesoxipha rufipes (Macquart, 1839), male (Najran, Al-Shurfa, Saleh Maqbol Farm); (30) Ravinia pernix (Harris, 1780), male (Cyprus: N Akrounta).