Apolysis flavipes ( Efflatoun, 1945 ) Gibbs, 2023

Gibbs, David, 2023, A world review of the bee fly tribe Usiini (Diptera, Bombyliidae) - Part 3: Parageron Paramonov s. lat., European Journal of Taxonomy 863 (1), pp. 1-162 : 150-151

Apolysis flavipes ( Efflatoun, 1945) comb. nov.

Usia flavipes Efflatoun, 1945: 212 .

Type material

Holotype (not examined)

EGYPT • ♀; “ Wadi El-Lega (South Sanai) June 1941 leg. Efflatoun ( Efflatoun 1945)”; ESEC.

The female holotype in ESEC is destroyed, photos show that only the pin, mount and labels exist.

Other material examined

Neotype (here designated)

ISRAEL • ♀ (glued to small white card point, in perfect condition); “ Arava Valley , Iddan, side wadi below date orchard, - 640ft. el., malaise, 17-IV-1996, M.E. Irwin, 30°49’05”N 35°16’55”E”; TAU.

Additional specimens (from Neotype locality)

ISRAEL • 1 ♀; “ Arava Valley , Iddan, side wadi below date orchard, - 640ft. el., malaise, 12-IV-1996 ” TAU • 1 ♀; “same location 14-IV-1996 ”; TAU • 1 ♀; “same location 17-IV-1996 ”; TAU • 2 ♂♂; “same location 18/ 19-IV-1996 ”; TAU • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; “same location 22-IV-1996 ”; TAU • 1 ♂; “same location 25-IV-1996 ”; TAU • 2 ♀♀; “same location 28-IV-1996 ”; TAU • 2 ♀♀; “same location 30-IV-1996 ”; TAU .

Remarks

Efflatoun (1945) described this species from just one female specimen, now unfortunately destroyed, although not before a plate was completed of it. Searching for the type, photographs of the relevant drawers from the Egyptian Entomological Society collection were made and show just a pin, mount and labels standing over this name. I thus conclude the holotype is destroyed and propose a neotype for it to fix the name and help avoid confusion with other similar-looking species in this genus.

Efflatoun’s (1945) original description plus the plate in the Smithsonian Institution Archives [Image no. SIA2012-7882] refer to a distinctive species, most particularly the contrasting ivory-white scape is a feature not seen in other species. The neotype and all other specimens in the series cited above share this unusual feature and fit very closely with Efflatoun’s description and the plate in the Smithsonian archives. There is a degree of variation in the series (as would be expected) that Efflatoun could not have appreciated from his single specimen. The legs vary in the degree of infuscation, in some front femora and tibia not quite clear yellow. Pleura often more extensively yellow than is suggested from the type description. Base of postpedicel externally often pale (as in Efflatoun’s type), but in some this is not apparent.

Efflatoun’s holotype was collected in Wadi El-Lega (South Sinai). This is about 320 km south of the collecting locality of the neotype in the Negev. Although not close, the situation is very comparable, a wadi in rocky desert with sparse vegetation (from Google Maps) so a similar biotope.

Distribution

Egypt (Sinai), Israel (Negev).