Bengalia xanthopyga Senior-White, 1924

(Figs 237–250)

Bengalia xanthopyga Senior-WhiTe, 1924: 107. HoloType ♂ (NHMUK; examined), by monoTypy (“[d]escribed from a unique ♂ in good condition”). Type locality: Singapore.

Bengalia xanthopyga: Malloch (1927: 398, 399 [key], 406 [figs 9a, 9b]).

Bengalia xanthopyga: Senior-White et al. (1940: 97) . [“ India; … Singapore; Java …; Philippine Islands …”.]

Bengalia xanthopyga: James (1977: 530; catalogue entry) .

Bengalia asymmetria Kurahashi & Tumrasvin, 1979: 297 . HoloType ♂ (BPBM; noT examined), by original designaTion. Type locality: Thailand (N.W.Chiangmai, Fang).

Bengalia xanthopyga: Kurahashi et al. (1997: 43) (Malaysia [ West Malaysia]).

Bengalia xanthopyga: Kurahashi &Magpayo (2000: 51) . [No records from the Philippines.]

Bengalia sp. nr. xanthopyga: Kurahashi (2001: 244) (Sri Lanka).

Bengalia xanthopyga: Kurahashi & Chowanadisai (2001: 204) (Laos; examined).

Gangelomyia xanthopyga: Lehrer (2005: 134) (Laos) .

Bengalia xanthopyga: Verves (2005: 240; catalogue entry).

Bengalia xanthopyga: Rognes (2006: 469) . [Dissection of a male from Thailand.]

Gangelomyia xanthopyga: Lehrer (2006a: 10) (Singapore, Laos). [Lehrer does not mention that the specimen (in NHMUK) from Singapore he has dissected and examined is the holotype of B. xanthopyga, even though he labelled it as such (twice); he assigned Singapore to India.]

Bengalia xanthopyga: Kurahashi & Bunchu (2011: 265) (Thailand) .

Diagnosis. Male. Length: 12.5–15.0mm (n=4). Frons at vertex / head width ratio 0.30–0.33 (mean 0.31, n=5). Anepisternum usually with a dark spot in upper half (Fig. 242), sometimes rather pale or even absent. Anepimeron with pale setulae only (Fig. 242). Abdominal tergites T1+2–5 at most with very narrow dark marginal bands (Fig. 241). Epandrium yellow (Fig. 241). ST5 flap asymmetric, usually quite pronouncedly so (Figs 239–240). Cercus in lateral view with a very narrow distal prong, and with a pair of very large projections at base (like the humps of a camel) (Fig. 238), visible as small “pale buttons” in posterior view (dried or in glycerol) (Fig. 237). Distal surstylus broad apically in posterior view (Fig. 237), curved in lateral view (Fig. 238). Bacilliform sclerite process pointed, dagger-like (Fig. 238). Distiphallus as shown in Figs 245–250. Semidomes large, encompassing an obliquely dorsally projecting distal lip process which is apically slightly emarginate and with low vertical flanges on either side of the median sclerotized part (Figs 249–250).

Female. Length: 12.0– 15.5mm (n=3). Frons at vertex / head width ratio 0.32–0.33 (mean 0.33, n=3). Discussion. Senior-White (1924: 108) and Senior-White et al. (1940: 98) illustrated the ST5 flap of the Singapore holotype as symmetrical, but this is not confirmed by my own examination of the actual specimen (Fig. 240).

Biology. “ This fly carrying a winged termite in flight” (text on label of female from Laos in BPBM, see below).

Distribution. Singapore *, Thailand *, Malaysia (West Malaysia *), Laos *,? Sri Lanka. Reported by Senior- White et al. (1940: 98) also from India, Indonesia (Java) and Philippines.

Type material examined. Bengalia xanthopyga Senior-White, 1924 . HOLOTYPE ♂ (NHMUK; staged on rectangular celluloid plate), labelled (1) Holo- / type [printed on white circular label with red rim, glued to stage]; (2) Singapore / H. N. Ridley / 96.48 [handwritten]; (3) Bengalia xanthopyga / TYPE ♂ sp. nov. / R.S.W. 1923 [handwritten]; (4) Gangelomyia ♂ / xanthopyga (Senior White) / HOLOTYPUS / Det. Dr. A. Z. LEHRER / 2005 [printed, pin hole in middle]; (5) Gangelomyia ♂ / xanthopyga (Senior White) / HOLOTYPUS / Det. Dr. A. Z. LEHRER / 2005 [printed label, much bigger than the previous label, pin hole in middle] [The holotype lacks its right mid leg, left fore and mid legs, and much of its left wing; dissected by Lehrer; terminalia in glycerol, transferred to a glass microvial by me; genital parts very pale, hypandrium very short; specimen immature].

Other material examined. BPBM. Laos: 1 ♂, labelled (1) LAOS: / Sayabouri Prov. / Sayaboury / 25.VIII.1966 (printed); (2) Native Collector / BISHOP MUSEUM (printed); (3) Gangelomyia ♂ / xanthopyga (Senior White) / Det. Dr. A. Z. LEHRER / 2005 [printed, pin hole in middle]; (4) Gangelomyia ♂ / xanthopyga (Senior White) / Det. Dr. A. Z. LEHRER / 2005 [printed label, pin hole near right hand margin] [The specimen lacks its left mid tibia and tarsus; dissected by Lehrer by excavating the terminalia from the underside of the tip of the dried abdomen; terminalia in a big plastic vial, transferred to a small glass microvial with fresh glycerol by me]; • 1 ♂, labelled (1) LAOS: / Vientiane Prov. / Ban Van Eue, 750m / forest streambed / 10-11.IV.1965; (2) J.L. Gressitt / Malaise Trap / BISHOP MUSEUM; (3) Bengalia ♂ / xanthopyga / Se.- White, 1924 / Det. H. Kurahashi [all labels printed] [Dissected by Kurahashi; terminalia in glycerol in a glass microvial; I replaced the old, fragile cork stopper with a soft plastic stopper]; • 1 ♂, labelled (1) LAOS: / Vientiane Prov. / Ban Van Eue / 15–31.V.1965; (2) Native / Collector / BISHOP; (3) Bengalia ♂ / xanthopyga / Se.- White, 1924 / Det. H. Kurahashi [all labels printed]; • 1 ♂, labelled (1) LAOS: / Vientiane Prov. / Ban Van Eue / 30.VI.1967; (2) Native / Collector / BISHOP; (3) Bengalia ♂ / xanthopyga / Se.- White, 1924 / Det. H. Kurahashi. [all labels printed] [Dissected by Kurahashi; terminalia in glycerol in a glass microvial; I replaced the old, fragile cork stopper with a soft plastic stopper and added some glycerol]; • 1 ♂, labelled (1) LAOS: / Vientiane Prov. / Ban Na Pheng / 19.V.1968 [parts of label handwritten]; (2) Native Collector / BISHOP MUS. [printed]; (3) Bengalia ♂ / xanthopyga / Se.- White, 1924 / Det. H. Kurahashi [printed]; • 1 ♀, labelled (1) LAOS: / Vientiane Prov. / Ban Van Eue, 750m / forest streambed / 10- 11.IV.1965; (2) J.L. Gressitt / Malaise Trap / BISHOP MUSEUM; (3) Bengalia ♀ / xanthopyga / Se.- White, 1924 / Det. H. Kurahashi [all labels printed]; • 1 ♀, labelled (1) LAOS: / Vientiane Prov. / Ban Van Eue / 800m, 11.IV.1965; (2) J.L. Gressitt / Collector / BISHOP MUSEUM; (3) This fly / carrying a / winged termite / in flight. [handwritten on torn off piece of paper]; (4) Bengalia ♀ / xanthopyga / Se.- White, 1924 / Det. H. Kurahashi. [all labels printed, except label 3]; • 1 ♀, labelled (1) LAOS: / Vientiane Prov. / Ban Van Eue / 20.VI.1966; (2) Native Collector / RONDON-BISHOP MUS. / Light Trap; (3) Bengalia ♀ / xanthopyga / Se.- White, 1924 / Det. H. Kurahashi. [all labels printed]. NHMD. Thailand: 4 ♂, labelled (1) Thailand, Doi Suthep-Pui / natn. Park, Konthathan / waterfall area, 600 m / 20.- 27. X. 1979 / Zool. Mus. Copenhagen Exped. [printed]; (2) Bengalia ♂ / xanthopyga / Se-White, 1924 / Det. H. Kurahashi [printed]; • 1 ♂, labelled (1) THAILAND: Chieng Mai Province / Doi Suthep N.P.: Konthathan / 6-700 m 26.ix.1981 / Zool. Museum Copenhagen leg.; (2) Bengalia ♂ / xanthopyga /Se.- White, 1924 / Det. H. Kurahashi; (3) Dissected / January 2006 / By Knut Rognes [all labels printed] [Dried T1+2–5 glued to a piece of card pinned above the labels; terminalia in glycerol in a glass microvial pinned below label 2]. NHMUK. Malaysia (West Malaysia): 1 ♂, labelled (1) MALAYA / Penang: Penang Hills / Viaduct Road West / 2000' / 23 Jly 1958 / H.T. Pagden [printed, but lines 3–5 handwritten]; (2) C.I.E. COLL / NO. 16217 [printed, except number]; (3) 43 [handwritten]; (4) Pres by / Com Inst Ent / B.M. 1959-130 [printed, except last number]; (5) recurva [handwritten]; (6) Bengalia / concava Mall. / Det. R.G.Fennah [handwritten, except last line]; (7) Bengalia ♂ / xanthopyga Senior White / Det. Dr. A. Z. LEHRER / 2004 [printed, pin hole in middle]; (8) Bengalia ♂ / xanthopyga Senior White / Det. Dr. A. Z. LEHRER / 2004 [printed, pin hole near right hand margin] [Dissected by Lehrer; terminalia in glycerol, transferred to a glass microvial by me]. NMW. Unknown country: 1 ♀, labelled (1) Ost. Indien / Alte Sammlung [first line handwritten, second printed]; (2) Bengalia (f) / xanthopyga / Senior-White, 1924 / K. Rognes det. 2016 [printed; with a question mark in pencil] [Under “ Bengalia lateralis ” in NMW collection]. ZMUM. Thailand: 1 ♂, labelled (1) Thailand, ChiangMai, 19.25N 98.64E, 1300m / 15.XI.2010 N. Vikhrev [printed]; (2) Bengalia (m) / recurva Malloch, 1927 / K. Rognes det. 2013 [printed; misidentification]; (3) KR0000000229 [printed]; (4) Bengalia (m) / xanthopyga / Senior-White, 1924 / K. Rognes det. 2016 [printed] [ST5 flap asymmetrical].