Bombylisoma Rondani, 1856

Greathead, D. J. & Evenhuis, N. L., 2001, Annotated keys to the genera of African Bombylioidea (Diptera: Bombyliidae; Mythicomyiidae), African Invertebrates 42 (1820), pp. 105-224 : 155

Bombylisoma Rondani

Bombylisoma Rondani, 1856:164 . Type species: Bombylius sulphureus Fabricius, 1805 [= Bombylius minimus Scopoli, 1771 , by original designation.

Chasmoneura Hesse, 1938: 586 . Type species: Bombylius argyropygus Wiedemann, 1821 , by original designation.

Comments: Palaearctic species were included in the genus Dischistus owing to the mistaken acceptance by many authors of the designation of Bombylius minimus Schrank as genotype by Brunetti (1920), which, in fact, postdated the designation of B. mystax Wiedemann as genotype by Becker (1913). The confusion led Hesse (1938) to propose a new genus Chasmoneura for South African species, in ignorance of the availability of the name Bombylisoma Rondani (see Bowden 1973). They are similar in habitus to Bombylella spp. , and are encountered in similar habitats.

Keys: Palaearctic, Engel (1932 –7), Paramonov (1940 b), both as Dischistus ;Afrotropical, Greathead (1996 b).

Distribution: North Africa: 7 species. Africa South of the Sahara: 21 species, including a new species Bombylisoma album Greathead (2000 a) from Namibia and B. microlepidum from Madagascar.