Sarcophaga (Cornexcisia) suthep Pape & Baenziger, 2003

Fig. 3

Sarcophaga suthep Pape & Bänziger, 2003: 52. Thailand, Chiang Mai Province, Doi Suthep.

Sarcophaga catoptosa Wei & Yang, 2007: 531. China, Guizhou, Leigongshan. Syn. nov.

Sarcophaga sutheb: Wei and Yang 2007: 532. Incorrect subsequent spelling of S. suthep Pape & Bänziger, 2003.

Material examined.

Holotype of S. suthep: ♂, Thailand, Chiang Mai Province, Doi Suthep, above Sangwal School, 1240 m, 28.viii.2000, H. Bänziger (in SMNH; specimen dissected and with terminalia glued to a piece of cardboard pinned below the specimen).

Remarks.

The holotype of Sarcophaga catoptosa is deposited in CDCP and not currently available for loan and study. Wei and Yang (2007) described the lateral styli as bifurcated at the base and expanded at the apex (Fig. 3). This unique character in Sarcophaga is shared by S. suthep and other species assigned to the subgenus Sarcophaga Cornexcisia . We consider the following compelling similarities between the nominal species S. suthep and S. catoptosa, as assessed from the illustrations of the phallus (Fig. 3), to justify the proposed synonymy: vesica of identical shape; juxta, harpes and lateral styli differing only by small differences in the outline, and this involves membranous parts that are often presenting themselves very differently due to shrinking during drying or other preparation. Wei and Yang (2007) stressed the following difference between Sarcophaga catoptosa and Sarcophaga suthep: the protuberance of former cerci is slightly narrower than the latter in dorsal view and the hind margin of former pregonite is wavy bending with a sharper tip, but those differences are minor. They still have the same shape, only varying in degree. Therefore, we consider these to be intraspecific differences.