Aphaniosoma spiniventre Ebejer, 1998

Material examined

ISRAEL • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; ‘ En Mor; 11 Oct. 1994; F. Kaplan and A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU • 1 ♀; same ccollection data as for preceding; Enot Zuqim; SMNHTAU • 6 ♂♂; ‘ Iddan; 19 Mar. 1995; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU • 6 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; ‘ En ‘Iddan; 20 Jun.1995; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU • 2 ♂♂, 11 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; I. Yarom leg.; SMNHTAU • 3 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Sappir pond; 9 Jul. 1996; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU • 1 ♂; N. Arava valley; 30°46ʹ N, 35°14ʹ E; 25 Mar. 2000; M.J. Ebejer leg.; on Tamarix and chenopods; MJE .

JORDAN • 1 ♂, preserved in alcohol; Azraq, Wildlife Resort; 31°49ʹ97ʹʹ N, 36°49ʹ27ʹʹ E; 20 Oct. 2011; J.-H. Stuke leg.; 1584; J-HS • 7 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀, preserved in alcohol; Jerash, “ Flusstal ” [river valley]; 32°12ʹ94ʹʹ N, 35°53ʹ04ʹʹ E; 21 Oct. 2011; J.-H. Stuke leg.; 1585; J-HS .

Females of A. spiniventre or A. nigricauda or A. creperum

ISRAEL • 1 ♀; Elot; 18 Mar. 1995; B. Merz leg.; MHNG • 6 ♀♀; ‘ Iddan; 19 Mar. 1995; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU .

Remarks

A dark species that often has a yellow apical margin on the scutellum and a small pale area on and / or near the postalar callus. It can be identified in the male without dissection if enough of the hypopygial structures are visible (Ebejer 1998: 225, figs 74–75). The postgonite is particularly narrow and curved at the tip; the apex of the basiphallus is blunt, like that of A. claridgei . Upon dissection, the pregenital sternite is very distinctive with its approximately square shape, sclerotized at its lateral and anterior borders and along the midline where, being very heavily sclerotized and narrow, gives this part the appearance of a long spine.

Females of these three species named above are not separable from each other unless associated with males.

Distribution

Tunisia, United Arab Emirates (Ebejer 1998, 2008). New records for Israel and Jordan.