Atherigona (Atherigona) laevigata ( Loew, 1852 )

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 : 25

Atherigona (Atherigona) laevigata ( Loew, 1852) ( Fig. 32 )

Coenosia laevigata Loew, 1852: 660 .

Specimens examined. 1f, Asir, Abha, Hay Al-Nusub , 20.vi.2013, Malaise trap, H.A. Dawah ( CERS); 2m, 1f, same data but 9–30.v.2014 ( CERS) ; 1f, same data but 3.vi.2001, ( NMWC) ; 1f, same data but 3.iii.–3.vi.2001 ( CERS); 1m, 2f , Najran, Al-Shurfa, Saleh Maqbol Farm , 17.ix.2014, Malaise trap, H.A. Dawah ( CERS); 1m, 2f , Asir, Abha, Madenate Al-Ameer Sultan, Hay Al-Sad , 25.ii.–25.v.2002, Malaise trap, H.A. Dawah and M.A.Abdullah ( NMWC); 2m, 2f , Asir, Keratha, Al-Ethrebany Fruit Farm , 15.v.–11.vi.2006, Malaise trap, H.A. Dawah ( NMWC; CERS) ; 2f, Asir, Maraba, Al-Hudaithy Fruit Farm , 9.ix.2004, Malaise trap, H.A. Dawah ( CERS) .

Distribution. This species was previously recorded from Saudi Arabia by Pont (1991); Dawah & Abdullah (2009); El-Hawagry et al. (2016; 2017). It was described from Mozambique. In the Middle East it is known from Egypt, Jordan, Palestine and Yemen ( Pont 1980; 1986; Pont 1991; Muller & Mostovski 2018).

Biological remarks. Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. and Sorghum bicolo r (L.) Moench are the only two hosts known for this common species at Samaru ( Nigeria) ( Deeming 1971, Skidmore 1985). The courtship display of A. laevigata has been described by Deeming (1971), which involves wing and tarsal vibrations and brushing the trifoliate process over the female’s compound eyes.

Figures

FIGURE. 32–36. Muscidae species habitus: 32) Atherigona (Atherigona) laevigata (Loew, 1852), Female; 33) Atherigona (Atherigona) lineata (Adams, 1905), Male; 34) Atherigona (Atherigona) longifolia Emden, 1940, Male; 35) Atherigona (Atherigona) naqvii Steyskal, 1966, Male; 36) Atherigona (Atherigona) pulla Wiedemann, 1830, Male.