Pachyanthrax amri, El-Hawagry, 2018

El-Hawagry, Magdi S., 2018, Review of the genus Pachyanthrax François (Diptera: Bombyliidae) from Egypt, with description of two new species, Zootaxa 4375 (4), pp. 502-510 : 504-505

Pachyanthrax amri sp. nov.

( Figs 3–7 , 14 )

This is the smallest Egyptian Pachyanthrax species, its length doesn’t exceed 7 mm, and it is easily distinguished by the contact of fourth posterior cell (cua1) with discal cell (dm) which is exceptionally 3 times longer than basal vein of former.

Etymology. The patronymic name amri is proposed in honor of my colleague and friend Dr Amr Ahmed Abdel-Samea, Entomology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Egypt.

Description. Male (Holotype) ( Fig. 14 ). Relatively smaller species, body length: about 7 mm, wing length: about 6 mm. Head. Dark brown to black in ground colour; upper frons about 2.5 times as wide as ocellar tubercle; ocellar tubercle frons and face with numerous black hairs; frons, face and occiput with scattered yellowish-white scales become more dense on occiput behind eyes; antennae ( Fig. 3 ) brownish-black with long black bristly hairs on scape and pedicel, flagellum conical, as long as scape and pedicel together, second flagellomere about fifth the total length of flagellum, ending with a tiny terminal spine-like style. Thorax. Scutum and scutellum dark brown to black in ground colour, with post alar calli more brownish; collar yellowish-white; scutum and scutellum with sparse yellowish-white scales mixed with some silken-white hairs especially on margins; all thoracic bristles whitish; pleura covered with long yellowish-white hairs; wings hyaline with brown basicostal infuscation, with darker spots on origin of R2+3 vein, r-m crossvein, basal vein of fourth posterior (cua1 cell) and basal vein of discal cell; contact of fourth posterior cell (cua1) with discal cell (dm) exceptionally 3 times longer than basal vein of former; veins brown; comb black; base of costal vein covered with white scales; halters yellowish-white with more whitish knob; all legs dark brown to black with tarsi black, covered with whitish scales; bristles on mid and hind legs black. Abdomen. Ovate, black in ground colour; tergite 1 covered with long white scales, with tufts of long white hairs at sides; tergite 2 with shorter yellowish-white scales on anterior third forming a transverse band alternated with a broader band of brownish-black scales on the middle; tergite 3 with a transverse band of white scales on anterior two thirds; tergite 5 with narrow brownish-black band of scales on the middle; all tergites 2–7 with yellowish-white scales especially on posterior borders mixed with yellowish white hairs in addition to few sparse dark brown or black ones; gonocoxa ( Fig. 7 ) with a developed elongated crest bearing long stiff spine-like hairs; epiphallus ( Figs. 4–7 ) relatively large, more than three times as long as the aedeagus, with apex broad with two tiny spines dorsally.

Female (paratype). Differs from the male holotype in that the basicostal infuscation relatively paler; legs yellowish-brown with dark tarsi; upper frons about 2.75 times as wide as ocellar tubercle; all hairs of abdomen yellowish-white without any dark hairs. Female genitalia not dissected.

Material examined. Holotype ♂, Burg Abu-Sowir , 20.4.50 (Shafik & Str.) ; paratype ♀, Fayoum (Guiza Road), 31.3.47 (Sh. & Roman) ; paratype ♀, Fayoum , 11.3.47 (Sh. & Roman) ; paratype ♂ (end of abdomen broken off), Hammam Rd. ( Mariout ), 9.4.52; all preserved in EFC.

Figures

FIGURES 1–11. Egyptian Pachyanthrax. 1–3. Antennae: 1. holotype ♂, Pachyanthrax mogyi sp. nov.; 2. paratype ♀, Pachyanthrax mogyi sp. nov.; 3. Holotype ♂, Pachyanthrax amri sp. nov. 4–7. Holotype of Pachyanthrax amri sp. nov.: 4,5. Hypopygium, lateral; 6. tip of epiphallus, dorsal; 7. gonocoxae, ventral. 8–11. Holotype of Pachyanthrax mogyi sp. nov.: 8,9. Hypopygium, lateral;10. tip of epiphallus, dorsal; 11.gonocoxae, ventral.

FIGURES 12–18. Egyptian Pachyanthrax. 12–16. Habitus: 12. Holotype ♂, Pachyanthrax amri sp. nov.; 13. Pachyanthrax circe (Klug, 1832); 14. Holotype ♂, Pachyanthrax mogyi sp. nov.; 15. Pachyanthrax nomadorum (Greathead, 1970); 16. Pachyanthrax tabaninus (Bezzi, 1925).17–18. Male genitalia:17. Pachyanthrax circe (Klug, 1832), lateral; 18. Pachyanthrax nomadorum (Greathead, 1970), lateral.