Actorthia Kröber, 1912

Badrawy, Haitham B. M. & Mohammad, Salwa K., 2013, A revision of the Egyptian species of the genus Actorthia Kröber (Diptera: Therevidae: Phycinae), Zootaxa 3613 (2), pp. 181-189 : 182-183

Genus Actorthia Kröber, 1912

Actorthia Kröber, 1912: 3 . Type-species: Actorthia frontata Kröber , by original designation.

Acthortia Kröber, 1912: 30. Incorrect spelling.

Gyrophthalmus Becker, 1912: 311 . Type-species: Gyrophthalmus khedivialis Becker , by monotypy. (Synonymy by Kröber 1924.)

Lesneus Surcouf, 1921: 161 . Type species: Lesneus canescens Surcouf , by monotypy. (Synonymy by Lyneborg 1983.)

Gyrophthalminus Frey, 1936: 52. Type species: Actorthia ahngeri Frey , by original designation. (Synonymy by Lyneborg 1983.)

Remarks: Actorthia is a problematic genus and reliable synapomorphic characters are lacking compared with other therevid genera. The genus is characterized by its small to medium body size; relatively broad body shape; antenna shorter than head; flagellum narrower than scape; style stout, two-segmented; prosternal depression with or without setae; vein C ending at CuA2+A1; veins M2 and M3 reaching to wing margin; cell r 4 wide; absence of a hind coxal knob; gonocoxites fused; hypandrium large, free; gonocoxites with lateral extensions; epandrium with posterolateral corners folded inside and covered with setae.

Three species are found in the Egyptian fauna ( Actorthia frontata (Kröber) , A. micans (Kröber) and A. pulchella Kröber ). Actorthia khedivialis (Becker, 1912) is newly synonymized with A. frontata (Kröber, 1912) and Actorthia efflatouni Kröber, 1925 is confirmed as a synonym of A. micans (Kröber, 1923) . The type specimens of the all the species of Actorthia deposited in (ESEC) have been destroyed by dermestid beetles.

The wing venation of Actorthia is most similar to the venation of Efflatouniella species (except Efflatouniella aegyptiaca Kröber ), Phycus Walker and Salentia Costa in that vein C ends at CuA2+A1. The wing is transparent in Actorthia but is maculated in most Efflatouniella . The length of the antenna is shorter than the head in Actorthia but is equal to or longer than the head in the other two genera Phycus and Salentia . The antenna is shorter than the head and is shared by Actorthia and Ruppellia Wiedemann , but the latter genus is distinguished from Actorthia by having vein C ending at M2. It is morphologically similar to Ruppellia , but Ruppellia does not have the extensions of the gonocoxites (except R. thoracica (Macquart)) .

The male genitalia of Actorthia are most similar to the genitalia of Acathrito Lyneborg , but the latter genus is distinguished from Actorthia by having vein C ending at M1 and by possessing a hind coxal knob, which is absent in Actorthia .