Eristalinus (Lathyrophthalmus) megacephalus (Rossi, 1794)

Syrphus megacephalus Rossi, 1794: 63 . Type locality: Italy (Toscana [as "Etruria"]).

Eristalis laetus Wiedemann, 1830: 192 . Type locality: China.

Eristalis fasciatus Meigen, 1835: 70 . Type locality: Germany (Bavaria: Munchen region).

Eristalis fasciatus Meigen, 1838: 143 . Type locality: Germany (Bavaria).

Eristalis pallinevris Macquart, 1842: 106 . Type locality: India.

Eristalis fasciatus Germar, 1844: pl 23. Type locality: Turkey & southern Europe.

Eristalis quinquevittatus Macquart, 1849: 465 . Type locality: Algeria.

Eristalis quinquefasciatus Schiner, 1849: 364 . Nomen nudum [South Africa].

Eristalis ridens Walker, 1849: 610 . Type locality: Albania.

Eristalis obscuritarsis Meijere, 1908: 250 . Type locality: Indonesia (Java: Semarang); Malaya; Singapore; India. Lathyrophthalmus ishigakiensis Shiraki, 1968: 177 . Type locality: Japan (Ryukyu Is., Ishigaki Is.).

Material examined: 1 male, Wadi Digla, 1.II.1926, leg. Farag ; 1 male, 1 female, Helwan, 2.XII.1934, leg. Shafik [EFC]; 1 male, Wadi El-Natroun, 8.VI.2017, leg. El-Hawagry [in personal collection of El-Hawagry].

World distribution: AF: Cape Verde Is., Madagascar, South Africa, UAE, Yemen. AU: Guam. OR: India, Indonesia (Java), Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Pakistan. PA: Afghanistan, Algeria, China, Egypt, Europe (southern Spain and coastal parts of Italy round the Mediterranean basin (including islands, e.g. Corsica, Malta, Sicily, Crete) to Turkey), Iran, Taiwan.

Egyptian localities: Widespread in Egypt [Sources: Efflatoun (1922), Shaumar & Kamal (1978), the examined museum material and the examined material collected by the first author].

Activity period in Egypt: Throughout the year.

Remarks: E. megacephalus is fairly common in Egypt, especially in the two autumn months September and October (Efflatoun 1922). It is a fast-flying species around tall waterside vegetation, and usually visits flowers of the genus Solidago (Speight 2017). The rat-tailed larvae filter bacteria from polluted water (Mahmoud et al. 1999). Many authors have recorded it under the name quinquelineatus Fabricius.