Ommatius neotropicus Curran

Scarbrough, Aubrey G., 2008, New Ommatius Wiedemann from the Americas with two new species groups, keys, and taxonomic notes (Diptera: Asilidae), Insecta Mundi 2008 (32), pp. 1-14 : 6-7

Ommatius neotropicus Curran

Fig. 2, 15-23

Ommatius neotropicus Curran, 1928: 3 . Holotype m, type locality British Guiana [ Guyana]; Hull 1962: 435; Martin and Papavero 1970: 59.

Type material examined. GUYANA: (holotype m, AMNH) . Paratypes: Kaieteur BG / 30.vii.1911 (allotype f, AMNH) ; Kaieteur BG / 11.viii.1911 (1f, AMNH) ; Kaieteur BG / 8.viii.1911 (1 f, AMNH) ; Kaieteur BG / 10.viii.1911 (1 f, AMNH) ; British Guiana / Bartica District / 23.iv.1924 (1 f, AMNH) ; Kartabo , BG / 6.viii.1922 (1 f, AMNH) ; Bartica 15.v.1901 (1 f, ANSP) ; Bello Horizonte / Minas Geraes / Brazil 6.xi / 1919 R. G. Harris (1 f, CUIC) .

Additional specimens. GUYANA: Kamakusa / British Guiana / H. Lang. (1 m, 2 f, NMNH); British Guiana / Essequibo R . [River] / Mirabilis Creek / 17.ix.1929 / Oxf. Univ. Expedn. / B.M.1929-485 (1 m, BMNH) . BRAZIL: Brazil, S. Am. / xii.1911 and / i.1912 (1 f, NMNH) .

Distribution. Brazil, Guyana. Flight season, April-January.

Remarks. In addition to the characters in the key, O. neotropicus is further distinguished by the unique terminalia (Fig. 15-23). In addition, the vestiture below the middle femora are usually entirely yellow. Because females have 4-5 anteroventral bristles below the hind femora and largely yellow metatarsomere on the middle tarsi, they are difficult to separate from the lighter form of O. normus . However, the largely yellow femora, largely or entirely yellow vestiture below the middle femora, absence of a prominent con- striction on the spermathecae and the strongly pro-

duced sternite 8 (Fig. 22-23) distinguish females of

this species from similar congeners. Lastly, the base

of the genital fork of O. neotropicus is parallel-sided

whereas it is constricted medially in O. normus .