Thaumatomyia sulcifrons Becker, 1907

Dawah, Hassan A., Abdullah, Mohammed A. & Deeming, John C., 2020, An overview of the Chloropidae (Diptera) of Saudi Arabia, Zootaxa 4791 (1), pp. 1-71 : 62-63

Thaumatomyia sulcifrons Becker, 1907

( Fig 69 )

Thaumatomyia sulcifrons Becker, 1907: 394 . Specimens examined. 1♀, Asir, Al-Souda, Al-Muqtha Dam , 14.iii.2013, sweeping, H.A. Dawah ( CERS) ; 2♀, Asir, Abha, Hay Al-Nusub , 3.iii.–3.vi.2001, Malaise trap, H.A. Dawah ( NMWC) ; 2♀, same data but 3.iv.2002 ( CERS) ; 6♂, (5 of these having the abdominal vescicles expanded: Fig 70 ). Asir, Abha, Madenate Al-Ameer Sultan , 25.ii.– 25.v.2002, Malaise trap, H.A. Dawah ( NMWC) .

Distribution. This species was previously recorded from Saudi Arabia by Dawah & Abdullah (2006). It was described from the Canary Islands, South Russia, Central Asia and Algeria. It is widespread in the warmer parts of the Palaearctic: Bulgaria, Hungary, Kazakhstan, southern France, southern east Siberia, southern Europe, Middle Asia, Spain, Transcaucasus, Russia, Turkey, Yugoslavia: Asia; Afghanistan, Algeria, China, Iran, Mongolia, Palestine: North Africa; Canary Islands, Morocco and Tunisia ( Nartshuk 1984; 2012).

Remarks. The larvae are carnivorous, live in the ground near roots of plants and feed on root aphids ( Nartshuk 2012).

Figures

FIGURE 69. Thaumatomyia sulcifrons (Becker, 1907). Male.

FIGURE 70. Thaumatomyia sulcifrons (Becker, 1907). Male showing the abdominal vescicles expanded.