Defilippia decrepita ( Wiedemann, 1828 ) Wiedemann, 1828

El-Hawagry, Magdi S., 2016, Review of the genus Defilippia Lioy (Bombyliidae, Diptera) from Egypt, with description of a new species, new combinations, and a neotype designation for D. pharaonis (Paramonov, 1928), Zootaxa 4170 (1), pp. 149-158 : 151-152

Defilippia decrepita ( Wiedemann, 1828) comb. nov.

( Figs 1–3 )

Anthrax decrepita Wiedemann, 1828: 564 . Type locality: Egypt or Sudan [as “Nubien” ( Evenhuis & Greathead 2015: 372)]. Exoprosopa albifacies Paramonov, 1928: 205 (27). Type locality: Egypt [3S (destroyed) in ESEC].

Exoprosopa aegyptiaca Paramonov, 1928: 205 (27). Type locality: Egypt [2S (destroyed) in ESEC] . Exoprosopa verna Greathead, 1970: 115 . Type locality: Chad [H in BMNH] .

Distribution. AF: Chad, Egypt [as ”Gebel Elba”], Senegal, Sudan. PA: Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia.

Egyptian localities. Lower Nile Valley: Barrage, Borgash, Kafr Hakim, Kirdassa, Mansouriah; Eastern Desert: Ismailia, Kassassein, Wadi Digla, Wadi Garawi, Wadi Hoff, Wadi Um?Elik; Western Desert: Dahshour; Gebel Elba.

Dates of collection. March to September.

Material examined. Specimens labeled as homeotypes (compared with types of E. albifacies and E. aegyptiaca by Dr E.O. Engel and/or Prof. Efflatoun Bey) include the following: 1 Ƌ, Barrage , 11.vi. 1929 (Tewfik); 1 Ƌ, Borgash, 19.viii.1924 (R.M) ; 1 ♀, same except 7.ix.1924 (Shafik); 1 Ƌ, Dahshour, 20.viii.1950 ( Shafik & Str.); 1 Ƌ, Kerdasa , 20.v.1925 (R.M) ; 1 ♀, Ismailia, 14.ix.1925 (Tewfik) ; 1 ♀, same except 29.vii.1925 (Tewfik); 1 Ƌ & 1 ♀, W. Rishrash, 12–17.vi.1932 (Tewfik); deposited in EFC.

Other material examined. 1 ♀, Kharga, 7.xi.1997 (El-Hawagry); deposited in EFC.

Diagnosis. Small to medium sized flies, usually less than 7 mm; 2nd flagellomere very short, its length less than 1/3 width of the broad base of 1st flagellomere; transversely banded with pure white and ochreous scales on head, thorax and abdominal tergites, especially on 2nd, 3rd and 6th tergites; the pure white band on 3rd abdominal tergite is more distinct and broad, almost occupying half of the tergite length; blackish scales rarely present medially on the basal edge of tergites 2–4; katepisternum covered with dense white scales; collar, anepisternum, laterotergite, and sides of abdominal tergite 1 with distinctly pectinate macrochaetae; wings hyaline with faint yellowish tinge along anterior border and base; cell r5 slightly widened apically; prealar bristles buff, weak, almost indistinguishable from thoracic hairs; gonocoxa narrowed apically; gonostylus broad at base, with a long apical part, directed dorsally; epiphallus long, slightly exceeding apex of gonocoxa posteriorly, smoothly expanded apically, strongly convex apically when shown in dorsal view ( Fig. 1 ); spermatheca ( Fig. 3 ) with reservoir thick walled, sclerotized, elongated, basal bulb small, rounded, not sclerotized, with a slightly sclerotized basal tube longer than reservoir.

Remarks. Exoprosopa flava Paramonov, 1928 was synonymised by Engel (1937) with Exoprosopa decrepita ( Wiedemann, 1828) . Syntypes of the former in ESEC have been examined and compared with homeotypes of the latter in EFC that were identified and compared with Wiedemann’s types by Dr E.O. Engel and Prof. Efflatoun Bey. The generic characters adopted by Lambkin et al. (2003) were applied. It was found that the two species are not synonymous and Exoprosopa flava is a distinct valid species in its original genus Exoprosopa . The taxonomic treatment of the two species should be thus: Exoprosopa flava Paramonov, 1928 stat. rev. and Defilippia decrepita ( Wiedemann, 1828) comb. nov.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 7. Male & female genitalia: 1 – 3. Defilippia decrepit. 1. male genitalia dorsal; 2. furca; 3. spermathecal complex; 4 – 7. Defilippia efflatouni: 4. male genitalia dorsal; 5. male genitalia lateral; 6. furca; 7. spermathecal complex.