Cosmina Robineau­Desvoidy, 1830: 423

Kurahashi, Hiromu & Kirk-Spriggs, Ashley H., 2006, The Calliphoridae of Namibia (Diptera: Oestroidea), Zootaxa 1322 (1), pp. 1-131 : 84-86

Genus: Cosmina Robineau­Desvoidy, 1830: 423 .

TYPE SPECIES: Cosmina fuscipennis Robineau­Desvoidy, 1830 , by designation of Townsend (1916: 6).

NOTES: Cosmina occurs in the Afrotropical and Palaearctic Regions (Zumpt 1958a: 74). Biology and immature stages of species of the genus remain unknown; although adults have been frequently observed on flowers in Namibia. The genus is not mentioned by Ferrar (1987).

Cosmina fuscipennis Robineau­Desvoidy, 1830: 423 .

= punctulata (Wiedemann, 1819: 21) (Musca) .

Fig. 89 .

TYPE LOCALITY: South Africa .

DISTRIBUTION: Widespread East Africa to southern Africa: Botswana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia * and South Africa (Cape, Transvaal).

MATERIAL: (labeled as C. fuscipennis ) 1♂, Skorpion Hill(1), 9–12.viii.1997, Marais & Kirk­ Spriggs(1) ( MT); (labeled as C. punctulata ) 1♂, Otjitembi 25, 14–15.ii.1972, [SMStaff], H6634; 7♀, Swartkop, 14–29.ix.1994, Marais ( PT); 1♂, Skorpion Hill(1), 9–12.viii.1997, Marais & Kirk­Spriggs(1) ( MT).

NOTES: Biology, life history and immature stages unknown. In Namibia hand­collected and in Malaise traps. North­west Namibia in the ‘arid’ savanna biome and southern Namibia in the succulent karoo biome ( Fig. 89 ). Recorded in February, August and September; most abundantly in September (vide Table 2).

Cosmina gracilis Curran, 1927 a: 2.

Fig. 90 .

TYPE LOCALITY: South Africa .

DISTRIBUTION: Southern Africa: Angola *, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa (Natal, Transvaal) and Zimbabwe *.

KNOWN RECORDS: Windhoek, SE2218Ca, 3.xi.1974, M. Irwin; Gobabeb [23°55'S, 15°03'E], 2.iii.1971 (NMSA).

MATERIAL: 3♀, Arnhem 222(1), 16.ii.1971, [SMStaff], H1837 ; 1♂, 1♀, Aigamas 471, 1–2.xi.1985, Irish (1), H64489 ; 3♀, Tsumkwe , 8–17.xi.1985, Rust (2), H64741 ; 2♀, Nau­Obes , 17.i.1987, Irish (1) & Marais ; 1♂, 1♀, Zaris 103, 9.ii–23.iii.1996, Marais ( PT) ; 1♂, 3♀, Kongola , 26 km W, 30.x–5.xi.1987, Marais ( PT) ; 1♀, Hereroland­West at(1): 29.ix–26.x.1991, Pusch ( PT) ; 4♀, same except: 25.xi–25.xii.1992; 3♀, same except: 18.i–25.ii.1992; 1♀, same except: 27.ix–26.x.1991; 2♀, same except: 26.x–25.xi.1991; 1♂, Bushmanland at(1): 8.i–1.ii.1991, Marais ( PT) ; 1♀, Omatako , 2 km W, 7.i.1991, Marais ; 1♀, Mudumu Mulapo , 29.xi.1991, Marais ; 2♀, Hamakari Süd 373(1), 20.xi.1991 – 18.i.1992, Pusch ( PT) ; 5♀, same except: 18.i–20.ii.1992; 1♂, 3♀, same except: 20.ii–25.iv.1992; 1♀, same except: 26.x–20.xi.1991; 1♂, 1♀, Bushmanland at(2): 8.i–1.ii.1990, Marais ( PT) ; 1♂, Kaudom Game Reserve at(2): 18–20.i.1991, Marais ; 4♂, 10♀, Nhoma River, 1 km E of, 28.xii.1998, Marais, Kirk­Spriggs (1) & Mann ( MT) ; 1♀, Aha Hills at(1): 21–25.xii.1998, Kirk­Spriggs (1), Marais & Mann ( MT) ; 2♂, 1♀, Xawasha pan, 2 km W, 26–27.xii.1998, Kirk­Spriggs (1), Marais & Mann ( MT) ; 1♀, Matende River, 20–21.i.1998, Marais & Kirk­Spriggs (1) ( MT) primary woodland; 1♂, 1♀, Katara , 1 km S of, 22–23.i.1998, Kirk­Spriggs (1) & Marais ( MT) primary forest; 1♂, Mile 46 Agric. Research Sta. , 21–24.iv.2001, Marais, Kasch & Vohland, Acacia dominated interdune ( MT) : BIOTA #01.101.01.7.04; 7♀, Mile 46, 25–27.iii.2003, Kirk­Spriggs (1) ( MT) ; 4♀, Varianto 771/2, 30.iii–1.iv.2003, Kirk­Spriggs (1) ( MT) ; 2♂, Kohoro Noord 185, 10.xi.1994 – 26.i.1995, Marais ( PT) ; 10♂, 1♀, Nama , 20–22.xii.1998, Kirk­Spriggs (1), Marais & Mann ( MT) ; 1♀, Oudam 354, 8.ii–23.iii.1996, Marais ( MT) ; 1♀, Edimba , 14–26.i.1993, Marais ( PT) ; 1♀, Etudilondjaba , 14–27.i.1993, Marais ( PT) ; 1♀, Enyana , 14–27.i.1993, Marais ( PT) ; 1♂, Okakarara area , 1.xii.1988 – 31.i.1989, Paxton ( PT) ; 1♂, Mudumu Game Reserve at(1): 25.xi–4.xii.1991, Marais ( PT) ; 1♂, 1♀, Katima Mulilo , 11–14.iv.1997, Marais ( BP) floodplain savanna; 1♀, same except: ( YP) ; 9♂, 7♀, Ekango , 25–26.ii.1995, Marais ; 1♀, E pukiro River, 3 km N at: 9–11.ii.2001, Kirk­Spriggs (1) & Marais ( MT) ; 1♀, Sovo / Mile 46 Camp (1), 21–24.iv.2001, Marais, Kasch & Vohland, hand­collected: BIOTA #02.100.01.7.11 ; 2♂, Mile 46 Agric. Research Sta. , 21–24.iv.2001, Marais, Kasch & Vohland, Acacia dominated interdune ( MT) : BIOTA #01.101.01.7.04; 2♂, 3♀, Duwisib 84, 28.i–1.iv.1995, Marais ( PT) ; 6♂, 5♀, Salambala campsite, 22–24.ii.2001, Kirk­Spriggs (1) & Marais ( MT) ; 2♀, same except: 1–4.iii.2001, Kirk­Spriggs (1) ( MT) ; 7♂, 7♀, Simataa: Salambala B6, 24–27.ii.2001, Marais & Kirk­Spriggs (1) ( PT) ; 1♂, 1♀, Salambala , 4 km NE of, 25.ii–1.iii.2001, Kirk­Spriggs (1) & Marais ( MT) ; 2♂, Dakota 424(1), 13–23.xii.1993, Pusch ( MT) ; 19♂, 8♀, Salambala forest , 23–29.xii.2002, Kirk­Spriggs (2) ( MT) ; 2♂, 6♀, Kuru , 3 km W, 9–28.i.1991, Marais ( PT) ; 8♂, 8♀, Sangwali , 25.xi–5.xii.1991, Marais ( PT) ; 5♂, 5♀, Chwaha River, 3 km NE at: 4–10.iv.1990, Marais ( PT) ; 1♂, 5♀, Leeupan , 12–30.i.1991, Marais ( PT) ; 11♂, 8♀, Kaudom Game Reserve at(3): 11–30.i.1991, Marais ( PT) ; 4♂, 3♀, Kaudom River at: 12–30.i.1991, Marais ( PT) ; 8♂, 6♀, Bushmanland at(2): 8.i–1.ii.1991, Marais ( PT) ; 26♂, 35♀, Arnhem 222(2), 5–6.xi.1993, Marais ; 7♂, 43♀, Aha Hills at(2): 9–28.i.1991, Marais ( PT) ; 8♂, 2♀, Kremetartkop , 22–23.xii.1998, Kirk­Spriggs (1), Marais & Mann ( MT) ; 2♂, 1♀, same except: light trap; 1♀, Eiseb River at: 18.xi–15.xii.1988, Paxton & Marais ( PT) ; 1♂, Northern vet. fence on Gam Road , 19.xi–15.xii.1988, Paxton & Marais ( PT) ; 41♂, 46♀, Northern vet. fence, 2 km S, 20.xi–16.xii.1988, Paxton & Marais ( PT) ; 4♂, 1♀, Tokat 343, 10.xi.1994, Marais ( PT) ; 19♂, 11♀, De Hoek 878, 3–6.ii.2001, Kirk­Spriggs (1) & Marais ( MT) ; 2♀, same except: ( LT) ; 106♂, 26♀, Okavarumendu 262, 10.xi.1994 – 26.i.1995, Marais ( PT) ; 5♂, 6♀, Masiye: Salamabala [sic – Salambala] B2, 28.ii–3.iii.2001, Kirk­Spriggs (1) ( PT) ; 3♂, same except: ( YP) ; 9♂, 1♀, Xawasha pan, 27.xii.1998, Kirk­Spriggs (1) ( MT) ; 7♂, 3♀, Somerkoms 521, 6–8.ii.2001, Kirk­Spriggs (1), Marais & Wheeler ( MT) ; 1♀, Toggenburg 591 campsite, 18–20.ii.2004, Kirk­ Spriggs (1) ( MT) ; 14♂, 16♀, Salambala campsite, 8–10.ii.2004, Kirk­Spriggs (1) ( HT) fruit; 1♂, 5♀, Erichsfelde 44, 20–22.iii.2003, Kirk­Spriggs (1) ( YP) open savanna; 1♀, Hamakari 285(1), 18.i–20.ii.1992, Pusch ( PT) ; 1♂, Garib­Ost 275, 13–20.xi.1988, Griffin (1) ( PT) .

NOTES: Biology, life history and immature stages unknown. In Namibia frequently observed feeding on flowering Solaniaceae and other families. Common in pitfall traps (probably due to the ground­dwelling habit of adults), hand­collected, in yellow and blue pans, and hanging traps baited with fermenting fruit, at UV­light and in Malaise traps. Principally in north­eastern Namibia (‘mesic’ savanna), but occurring further west and south in the ‘arid’ savanna, namakaroo and desert biomes ( Fig. 90 ). Recorded in January to August and October to December; most abundantly in December and February (vide Table 2).

Cosmina margaritae Peris, 1952 a: 229.

Fig. 91 .

TYPE LOCALITY: Nyasaland [= Malawi] .

DISTRIBUTION: Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Namibia, Senegal, South Africa (Natal, Transvaal), Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

KNOWN RECORD: Windhoek, SE 2218 Ca , 3.ii.1974, M.E. Irwin ( NMSA) ; W. Caprivi Park, Kwando meander at: Kwando River, 17°50'49''S 23°18'53''E, 15.xii.1999, Mann, Marais & Newman, swept vegetation floating over water, grasses (NMWC).

MATERIAL: 1♀, Aigamas 471, 1–2.xi.1985, Irish (1), H64480 ; 1♂, Gelukkie : Okavango, 6.iv.1990, Marais ; 1♀, Popa Falls (1), 26.ii.1992, Marais & Pusch ( MT) ; 1♂, 1♀, Qugali River, 7.iv.1990, Marais ; 1♀, Salambala campsite, 22–24.ii.2001, Kirk­Spriggs (1) & Marais ( MT) ; 1♀, Northern vet. fence, 2 km S, 20.xi–16.xii.1988, Paxton & Marais ; 3♀, Katima Mulilo , 11–14.iv.1997, Marais ( BP) floodplain savanna; 1♀, same except: ( YP) ; 1♀, Okavarumendu 262, 10.xi.1994 – 26.i.1995, Marais ( PT) .

NOTES: Biology, life history and immature stages unknown. In Namibia collected in yellow and blue pans, and in pitfall and Malaise traps. North­eastern and central Namibia in the ‘arid’ and ‘mesic’ savanna biome ( Fig. 91 ). Recorded in February, April and November; most abundantly in April (vide Table 2).

Cosmina undulata Malloch, 1926: 518 .

Fig. 92 .

TYPE LOCALITY: Nigeria .

DISTRIBUTION: Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Namibia *, Niger, Nigeria, South Africa (Cape, Natal) and Togo.

MATERIAL: 1♀, Kwando River: Susuwe, 28.ix–2.x.1998, Kirk­Spriggs (1) ( MT) dry woodland; 1♀, Nhoma River, 1 km E of, 28.xii.1998, Marais, Kirk­Spriggs(1) & Mann ( MT) .

NOTES: Biology, life history and immature stages unknown. In Namibia the species has only been collected in Malaise traps. North­eastern Namibia in the ‘mesic’ savanna biome ( Fig. 92 ). Recorded in November and December in low numbers (vide Table 2).

Figures

FIGURES 87–92. Distributions of Namibian Calliphoridae species. 87. Fainia albitarsis (Macquart). 88. F. elongata (Bezzi). 89. Cosmina fuscipennis Robineau­Desvoidy. 90. C. gracilis Curran. 91. C. margaritae Peris. 92. C. undulata Malloch.