Thyridanthrax griseolus ( Klug, 1832 )

El-Hawagry, Magdi S., Abdel-Dayem, Mahmoud S. & Al Dhafer, Hathal M., 2019, On the taxonomy of the genus Thyridanthrax Osten Sacken in Egypt and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with description of a new species (Diptera: Bombyliidae), Zootaxa 4701 (6), pp. 501-519 : 510

Thyridanthrax griseolus ( Klug, 1832)

( Figs 25, 27 )

Anthrax griseola Klug 1832 : pl. 30, fig. 11. Type locality: Lebanon or Syria.

Distribution: PA: Egypt, Iran, Lebanon,? Libya, Syria, Tunisia.

Egyptian localities: Coastal Strip: Mallaha. Eastern Desert: Wadi Abu-Trefia, Wadi Um Elek. Lower Nile Valley: Abu-Rawash, Borgash, Kafr Hakim, El-Katta, Mansheyet Radwan, Mansouriah. Fayoum: Tamyiah. Sinai: El-Arish, Wadi El-Arbaein (South Sinai). Gebel Elba: Wadi Ibib.

Material examined: EGY: 1 female, Abu-Rawash , 16.IX.1924 (R.M.) ; 1 female, Arish, Wadi El-Daiqa , 25.VIII.1951 (Shafik) ; 1 female, Borgash , 7.IX.1924 ; 1 female, El-Katta , 20.IX.1924 (R.M.) ; 1 male Fayoum, Tamyiah , 31.III.1947 (Sh.M. & Str.) ; 1 female, same data, 16. VI.1947; 1 male and 1 female, Kafr Hakim , 27.VIII.1924 (R.M.) ; 1 female, Kafr Hakim , 20.VII.1924 (R.M.) ; 1 male, Mallaha , 23.VII.1927 (R.M.) ; 1 female, Wadi Abu-Trefia , 18.IV.1930 (Tewfik) ; 1 male, Wadi El-Arbaein (S. Sinai), VIII–IX.1940 (H.C.E. & Sh.M.) ; 1 female, Wadi Ibib ( South Eastern Desert ), 11.III.1928 (Tewfik) ; 1 female, Wadi Um Elek , 25.IV.1930 (Farag) [EFC].

Diagnosis: Body length: 7–13 mm. Frons mostly dark brown to black in ground color especially at upper part, usually with triangular reddish-brown or yellowish-brown area at middle, face reddish-brown, occiput black; hairs of frons and face white, except some black ones on frons, especially on middle and upper half; frons and face covered with whitish-yellow to yellow scales, becoming slightly whitish on face, and with pure or snowy-white vestiture at sides of lower frons (fronto-orbital plate) and sides of face (parafacials); occiput densely covered with pure white scales, being yellowish at middle behind vertex; scape and pedicel reddish-brown to brown with black hairs; pedicel may be slightly darker than scape, flagellum dark brown to black, subconical; upper part of frons in male approximately three times as wide as ocellar tubercle, those of female approximately 3.5 times as wide as ocellar tubercle. Thorax black in ground color, only posterior half of scutellum brownish; tufts of white long scales present above hind coxae and on katepisternum; scutum covered with golden-yellow tomentum, with white transverse band of scales in front of wing bases; scutellum entirely covered with white scales except middle area with golden-yellow tomentum and hairs; all thoracic setae golden-yellow. Legs yellowish-brown with bases of femora and tarsi black, covered with white scales; all legs except fore tibiae with black setae. Wings with faint yellowish-brown basicostal infuscation extending over basal half to basal two-thirds of surface, becoming paler at base and costal margin, with hyaline spots on crossveins (window panes); basal medial cell (bm) faintly infuscated yellowish with brownish spot on apex not joined to brownish spot on base of discal medial cell (dm); brownish spot on base of discal medial cell not or hardly reaching the base of the r–m crossvein; calypter yellowish-white; halter yellowish-brown with tip of knob whitish-yellow. Abdomen mostly black in ground color, with posterior margins and sides of tergites reddishbrown in some individuals; all tergites of some individuals mostly reddish-brown; sides of 1 st and 2 nd tergites with white hairs, mixed with few black ones on posterior corners of latter; 2 nd tergite broad covered with whitish-yellow scales on anterior two-thirds and yellowish-brown to dark brown scales on posterior third forming a transverse dark band; 3 rd and 4 th tergites covered with yellowish scales on posterior halves, and whitish scales on anterior halves forming transverse bands, with few, if any, yellowish-brown to dark brown scales on posterior margins, forming narrow transverse bands in some individuals; 5 th tergite with yellowish scales on posterior half, being dark brown on anterior half in some individuals; 6 th tergite covered with white scales on anterior half forming transverse band; posterior half of 6 th tergite and entire 7 th tergite with yellowish-white scales; hairs and setae on posterior margins of anal tergites whitish-yellow, rarely mixed with few black ones. Spermatheca ( Fig. 27 ) with the swelling in the duct separated from the terminal bulb by about two times the length of the pump.

Figures

FIGURES 25–30. Thyridanthrax spp. 25–27. Thyridanthrax griseolus: 25. habitus; 26. Head, lateral; 27. Spermatheca; 28–30. Thyridanthrax incanus: 28. habitus; 29. Head, lateral; 30. spermatheca.