Eristalinus (Lathyrophthalmus) aeneus ( Scopoli 1763 )

El-Hawagry, Magdi S. & Gilbert, Francis, 2019, Catalogue of the Syrphidae of Egypt (Diptera), Zootaxa 4577 (2), pp. 201-248 : 220-221

Eristalinus (Lathyrophthalmus) aeneus ( Scopoli 1763)

Conops aeneus Scopoli, 1763: 356 . Type locality: Slovenia (Idrija [as "circa Idriam"]).

Musca punctata Müller, 1764: 85. Type locality: Denmark (Sjaelland).

Musca leucocephala Gmelin, 1790: 2878. Type locality: Europe .

Musca ochroleuca Gmelin, 1790: 2878. Type locality: Europe .

Musca macrophthalma Preyssler, 1791: 68. Type locality: Bohemia.

Syrphus aeneus Fabricius, 1794: 302 . Type locality: Germany.

Eristalis cuprovittatus Wiedemann, 1830: 190 . Type locality: North America.

Eristalis taphicus Wiedemann, 1830: 191 . Type locality: Egypt.

Conops stygius Newman, 1835: 313 . Type locality: England.

Eristalis sincerus Harris, 1841: 409 . Type locality: USA (Massachusetts).

Eristalis aenescens Macquart, 1842: 119 . Type locality: Unknown.

Eristalis sincerus Walker, 1849: 611 . Type locality: USA.

Eristalomyia auricalcica Rondani, 1865: 129 . Type locality: Italy (Abruzzi [as "Aprutio"]).

Eristalis concolor Philippi, 1865: 743 . Type locality: Chile (Valparaiso).

Lathyrophthalmus nigrolineatus Hervé-Bazin, 1923: 134 (as var. of Lathyrophthalmus aeneus ). Type locality: Pakistan (Karachi: Maindron).

Material examined: 1 male, 1 female, Wadi Sayyal, 19.XI.1926, leg. Farag; 1 female, Abu Rawash, 15.1.1927, leg. R.M. (all published in Shaumar & Kamal (1978)); Wadi El-Maskhara, 21.II.1927, leg. Farag; 1 male, Wadi Handal, 10.I.1927, leg. Farag [EFC].

World distribution: Cosmopolitan.

Egyptian localities: Coastal Strip: Dekheila. Eastern Desert: Hurgada, Ismailia, Wadi El-Maskhara, Wadi Handal, Wadi Sayial. Lower Nile Valley & Delta: Abu-Rawash, El-Gebel El-Asfar, El-Gemmeiza, El-Marg, Gezeireh, Helwan, Kirdassa, Kombira, Pyramids. [Sources: Efflatoun (1922), Shaumar & Kamal (1978) and the examined museum material].

Activity period in Egypt: Throughout the year.

Remarks: E. aeneus is extremely common in Upper as well as Lower Egypt ( Efflatoun 1922). It is a distinctly

anthropophilic species, preferring coastal lagoons, ponds, slow-moving rivers, streams and irrigation ditches. Adults fly very fast and low over ground-level vegetation, settling on bare ground and rocks, as well as on vegetation. They visit yellow composites and white umbellifers ( De Buck 1990). The rat-tailed larvae filter bacteria from polluted water, particularly brackish water.