Exoprosopa magnipennis Bezzi, 1924

Greathead, D. J., 2001, A study of the Exoprosopa busiris (Jaennicke) group of Bezzi (1924) in tropical Africa (Diptera: Bombyliidae), Journal of Natural History 35 (1), pp. 127-147 : 136-138

Exoprosopa magnipennis Bezzi

(Figures 4, 12)

Exoprosopa magnipennis Bezzi, 1924: 344 , Kenya [examined]

This species is readily recognized by the extensive reddening of the head and body including the antennae. The infuscation of the wings is darker and more contrasting with the hyaline areas than in E. brevinasis which it most closely resembles. Bezzi (1924) gives a full description.

Diagnosis

As E. luteicosta but: proboscis projecting. Little or no black hair on apex of facial cone. Frons and face red. Scape and pedicel red. Legs red with ochreous scales. Hair a deeper straw yellow. Body with pleura, calli and sterna red. Black macrochetae on coxae. White scale bands on all terga. Wing (®gure 4) with r closed 5

or only narrowly open. Veins with infuscated margins, darker on cross veins. Basal hook red, comb with yellow scales. Veins red. Male genitalia (®gure 12) similar to E. luteicosta but epiphallus deeper and tapering towards apex. Length of body, 15±20 mm; of wing, 18±24 mm.

Material examined

Kenya: Tsavo West, Maktan , 1, l 10.vi.1981, R. H. Markham ( DJG) ; Watamu, Jilore Forest , 1m, 21.i.1979, A. W. R. McCrae ( DJG) ; Mida Creek , 1m, xii.1968 ± i.1969, G. R. Cunningham-va n Someren ( DJG) ; Arabuku-Sokok e Forest, Gedi , 1, l 3.xii.1987, M.J.W. Cock ( DJG) . Tanzania: 20 miles S of Iringa, 2m, 24.xi.63, D. J. Greathead ( DJG) ; Iringa Dist., Ulete , 1, l 14.xi.1963, D. J. Greathead ( DJG) ; Old Shinyanga, 1, l 9.x.1935, E. Burtt ( BMNH) ; Itigi , 1m, 20.i.1917, G. D. H. Carpenter ( BMNH) .

Distribution

Kenya, Tanzania (®gure 19).

One very denuded specimen in the Natural History Museum may also belong to this species. Yemen: Jebel Jihaf, Shima, c. 7000 ft, 1, l 9.x.1937 H. Scott and E. B. Britton ( BMNH) .