Exoprosopa schmidtii Karsch

Greathead, D. J., 2001, A study of the Exoprosopa busiris (Jaennicke) group of Bezzi (1924) in tropical Africa (Diptera: Bombyliidae), Journal of Natural History 35 (1), pp. 127-147 : 145

Exoprosopa schmidtii Karsch

(Figure 7)

Exoprosopa schmidtii Karsch, 1888: 372 , Zanzibar

Bezzi (1924) evidently had not seen this species as it is not included in his key and the only passing reference to it is incorrect in suggesting that it has yellow hair on the fore border of the thorax. It is the darkest of the series with striking orange hair and a purplish iridescence to the wings. It was described from Zanzibar but is present in association with forest on the Kenya coast.

Diagnosis

Abdomen narrow, elongate and almost parallel-sided. Black in overall appearance but with bright orange hair on the fore part of the thorax and upper parts of pleura, hair below yellow. Abdominal terga with glossy black scales and yellowish scale bands which are easily rubbed so that abdomen tends to appear black. Sterna with sparse white scales. Legs reddish brown with glossy black scales. Wing (®gure 7) narrow, longer than body, entirely infuscated brown with purplish iridescence, colour not darker at fore border but centres of cells tend to be paler. Discal cell narrow, not bulging. Alula reduced. Anal and axillary cells narrow. Spermatheca with spermathecal bulb ovoid. Length of body, 12±16 mm; of wing, 13±17 mm.

Material examined

Kenya: Kwale Forest, 8m, 21.v.1963, D. J. Greathead; Watamu, Jilore Forest , 1m, 21.i.1989, A. W. R. McCrae (all DJG) .

Distribution Kenya, Zanzibar.