Systoechus Loew, 1855

Greathead, D. J. & Evenhuis, N. L., 2001, Annotated keys to the genera of African Bombylioidea (Diptera: Bombyliidae; Mythicomyiidae), African Invertebrates 42 (1820), pp. 105-224 : 160

Systoechus Loew

Systoechus Loew, 1855: 5 , 34 (as subgenus of Bombylius Linnaeus ). Type species: Bombylius sulphureus

Mikan, 1796 [= Bombylius ctenopterus Mikan, 1796 ], by subsequent designation (Coquillett,

1910: 611).

Comments: Systoechus is the sister group of Bombylius , but easily recognised by its distinctive colouration and different phallosome.

Keys: Palaearctic, Engel (1932 –7), Paramonov (1940 b); Afrotropical, Bezzi (1924); East Africa, Greathead (1996 c); Eritrea /northern Ethiopia, Greathead (1967); southern Africa, Hesse (1938); West Africa, Bowden (1964).

Hosts: All reared species are predators of the eggs of Acridoidea ( Greathead 1963; du Merle 1975; Yeates & Greathead 1997).

Distribution: Holarctic, Afrotropical and Oriental Regions. North Africa: 6 species. Africa South of the Sahara: 92 species. Madagascar: 1 species; S. claripennis (Macquart) . Socotra: 1 species; S. somali Oldroyd.