Aphaniosoma lamellatum Collin, 1949

Ebejer, Martin J., 2023, The genus Aphaniosoma Becker, 1903 (Diptera: Chyromyidae) in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, with descriptions of new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 872, pp. 1-161 : 91-93

Aphaniosoma lamellatum Collin, 1949

Fig. 50

Material examined

Lectotype (here designated)

EGYPT • ♂; Fayoum, Lake Karun; 2–23 Sep. 1945; R.L. Coe leg.; NHMUK, B.M. 1946–39 , bar code 013435858 .

Paralectotypes

EGYPT • 10 ♂♂, 7 ♀♀ (3 ♂♂ headless); same collection data as for lectotype; NHMUK, bar codes 013933279–85 • 1 ♀; Siwa Oasis ; 3 Jun. 1935; J. Omer-Cooper leg., Armstrong College Expedition; NHMUK, B.M. 1935–354 , bar code 013933286 • 2 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceeding; 13 Aug. 1935; bar codes 013933287–88 • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceeding; 15 Aug.1935; NHMUK, bar code 013933289 .

Other material

EGYPT • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Sinai, Taba , 10 km S; 1 May 1996; I. Yarom leg.; SMNHTAU • 4 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU • 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀; Alexandria, Ras Rashid ; 21 Oct. 2003; P. Gatt leg.; beach; PG • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; MJE • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; SMNHTAU .

ISRAEL • 1 ♂; Sappir ; 24 Jul. 1995; I. Yarom leg.; SMNHTAU • 1 ♂; ‘ En mor ; 11 Oct. 1994; F. Kaplan and A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU • 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀; Qalya ; 28 Sep. 1995; I. Yarom leg.; SMNHTAU • 1 ♀; Dead Sea , Qalya [= Kallia]; 7 Jun 1996; B. Merz and A. Freidberg leg.; MHNG • 5 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Sappir pond; 9 Jul. 1996; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU • 1 ♂; ‘ En Zin ; 13 Nov. 1999; I. Yarom and V. Kravchenko leg.; on Tamarix negevensis ; SMNHTAU .

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES • 1 ♂; SSW of ad-Dhaid ; 13–18 Dec. 2005; A. van Harten leg.; NMWC .

Remarks

Pont (1995: 95) listed 16 male and 7 female syntypes. However, in the present study 11 male and 8 female specimens can be attributed to this species. Among further material that had been left unsorted some specimens belonging to this species could be recognized albeit with difficulty. Two specimens from among those listed as syntypes are in very poor condition, one being also headless and the other consists only of minute unrecognizable fragments of the hypopygium mounted in Euparal. These are left undetermined. Given the difficulties in sorting out these specimens to recognize the species intended by Collin, and to reliably separate it from other very similar species recently described, it is necessary to designate a lectotype. A male in good condition from among the series of both sexes collected at Fayoum, Lake Karun; 2–23 Sep. 1945 is here designated lectotype.

In its habitus ( Fig. 50A ), this species is almost identical to A. oculicauda Collin, 1949 , as Collin himself appreciated when he described the two species. Both have very short fronto-orbital and scutal setae ( Fig. 50B ). The male hypopygium is highly distinctive in both species, even without dissection as long as it is sufficiently exposed ( Fig. 50C ). Females are very difficult to separate. Although the features used in the key are present in most specimens, they are absent in some, and overlap does occur with other species. When this is the case, identification is more reliable if the specimens are associated with males.

Distribution

Egypt, Israel, Oman ( Collin 1949; Ebejer 1996). New records for Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

Figures

Fig. 50. Aphaniosoma lamellatum Collin, 1949, ♂ (SMNHTAU). A. Habitus, lateral view. B. Head, lateral view. C. Hypopygium in situ, posterior view.