Coenosia attenuata Stein in Becker, 1903

Dawah, Hassan A., Abdullah, Mohammed A. & Deeming, John C., 2020, The Muscidae (Diptera) of Saudi Arabia, descriptions of two new species, new records and updated list of species, Zootaxa 4869 (1), pp. 1-54 : 41-42

Coenosia attenuata Stein in Becker, 1903 ( Fig. 67 )

Coenosia attenuata Stein in Becker, 1903:121 . Later transferred into Caricea Robineau-Desvoidy , now synonymised with Coenosia Meigen.

Specimens examined. 4f, Asir, Abha, Tanoma, Al-Rawdah District , 11.iii.2015, sweeping trap, H.A. Dawah ( CERS); 1m , Asir, Abha, Hay Al-Nusub ( Abha Farm Centre), 3.iv.2001, Malaise trap, H.A. Dawah ( CERS); 1m, 1f, same data but 3.iii.–3.vi.2001, Malaise trap, H.A. Dawah ( NMWC); 1m , Asir, Maraba, Al-Hudaithy Fruit Farm , 1–30.v.2004, Malaise trap, H.A. Dawah ( NMWC) .

Distribution. This species was previously recorded from Saudi Arabia by Pont (1991); Dawah & Abdullah (2009); El-Hawagry et al. (2016; 2017; 2018). It was described from Egypt. In the Middle East it is known from Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Oman, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Yemen ( Pont 1980; 1986; Deeming 2008; Pohl et al. 2012).

Taxonomic remarks. Al-Houty (1989: 140, photo 470) recorded this species from Kuwait, but Pont (1991) believes that the illustration refers to a species of Musca but is not of C. attenuata . C. attenuata is a very dimorphic species, the males having almost entirely yellow legs and head and body silvery grey, the females predominantly brown.

Biological remarks. This is a predacious species and is common and abundant on Arabian irrigation sites. This species is used for biological control of glass house insect pests, and for this purpose has been introduced into France, Germany, Italy and Turkey ( Kühne 2000; Pohl et al. 2012).

Figures

FIGURE. 67–70. Muscidae species habitus: 67) Coenosia attenuata Stein in Becker, 1903, Male; 68) Coenosia aurifacies Emden, 1940, Male; 69) Coenosia cuthbertsoni Curran, 1935, Male; 70) Coenosia humilis Meigen, 1826, Male.