Sepedon (Parasepedon) ornatifrons Adams, 1905

Knutson, Lloyd V., Deeming, John C. & Ebejer, Martin J., 2018, The Snail-killing Flies (Diptera: Sciomyzidae) of West Africa, Zootaxa 4483 (1), pp. 67-100 : 82-83

Sepedon (Parasepedon) ornatifrons Adams, 1905

(Fig. 10)

References to figures: none.

Holotype: Two specimens, sex unknown (abdomens missing). Salisbury [ZIMBABWE], S. Afr., F.L. Snow, no date, Univ. Kansas, Manhattan). Dr. R.W. Brooks, Univ. Kansas, kindly examined the specimens in July 1998 and wrote to us “The data from the two specimens is the same—Salisbury, S. Afr., F.L. Snow. One of the two specimens also bears the label “type”. We have no more material of Sepedon ornatifrons here”. These specimens were examined by Steyskal (in Steyskal & Verbeke, 1956), who stated “It is quite likely that if the male of this form can be recognized it will prove to be a variant of S. maculifemur Verbeke” [1950] . However, S. ornatifrons Adams, 1905 is the prior name!

GAMBIA: W. Div., Kombo District , Lamin Bridge, rice field nr. Lamin Bolan, tidal waterway, on young rice, 1♀, 2.ix.1997, D.J. Mann ( OUM) . SENEGAL: Basse-Casaurance, Djibélor, en riziére, 3♂ 1♀, 8.iv.1980, J. Etienne ( MNHNP) ; 1♂, same data ( NMWC) . NIGERIA: Zaria, reedy stream, 2♂, 10.iii.1966, Lyall & Deeming, (CU); Zaria, Samaru, irrig. ditch 1♂ 1♀, 16.iv.1966, Deeming ( NMWC) ; 4♀, same data (CU) ; 3♂ 3♀, same data except 17.iv.1966 (CU, NMWC) ; Zaria, Samaru Lake , 1♂, 27.xi.1966 (CU) ; 1♂, 5.iii.1966; 1♀, 7.iii.1967 (IARS); 2♂, 7.iii.1967 (NHMUK); 3♀, 24.iii.1967 (USNM) all collected by Deeming; Zaria, Samaru, m. v. trap 1♂, 2.vi.1967, Deeming (IARS); Zaria, Samaru, 13♂♀, 26.iii.1973, Deeming & Knutson (USNM, NMWC); same data 17♂ ♀, 28.iii.1973 ; 2♂, 2.iv.1973; Zaria, Samaru, 1♂, 14.xii.1973, M. A. Cornes ( NHMUK) (1966 records also in Knutson (1968)); Jos Plateau, 1♂, 20.ii.1967, Kuipers (CU) ; North Eastern State, Serti (S-31) 1♂, 30.iii.1970, J . T. Medler ( USNM). CAMEROUN: Rt. N 4, 100km NW Yaounde , 2♂, 5.xi.1987, A . Freidberg (TAU, on loan to LK 1999, det. LK 1998).

Other new records: ETHIOPIA: Rd. Addis Ababa—Debre Zeyit , 1♂, 20.xii.1989 , A. Freidberg & F. Kaplan ( TAU, on loan to LK 1999, det. Lk 1998). KENYA: Kasarani , 1♂ 1♀, 10–11.viii.1989, J.W. Ismay ( NMWC) ; same data, 4♂ 2♀, ( OUM); Nairobi , 5500 ft., 1♀, 7.i.1971 , A.E. Stubbs ( NHMUK, det. LK 1998); Urundi, Rumonge , 780 m., 3♂, 15.ix.1948, F. Francois ( IRSNB, det. LK 1998); Rt . A 104, 15 km. S.E. Nairobi , 1♀, 29.iv–15.v.1991 , A. Freidberg & F. Kaplan ( TAU, on loan to LK 1998, LK det. 1998). ZAMBIA , Lusaka, Unza Pond , 3♂ 2♀, 26.iv.1978, R . A. Beaver ( NHMUK); 1♀ , same data, but 13.iv.1978. ZIMBABWE: Salisbury (t. swamp) 1♂, iv.1927 , A. Cuthbertson ( NHMUK); 1♀ , same data ( USNM) . SOUTH AFRICA: Natal, Weenen, 1♀, vi.1925, H.P. Thomasset ( NHMUK).

Published records. BÉNIN: Parakou, près de Bassa, Vala et al. (1994); TANZANIA (“Ost Afrika, Katona, Arusha-Ju”), Hendel 1911.

Biology. unknown.