Anthrax squalidus Philippi 1865

Anthrax squalidus Philippi

Anthrax squalidus Philippi, 1865, p. 672 [squalida].

Argyramoeba squalida.—Kertész, 1909, p. 67.

Aphoebantus squalidus.—Edwards, 1930, p. 171.—Stuardo Ortiz, 1946, p. 92.

Argyramoeba crinita Bigot, 1892, p. 349 [Argyromoeba].—Kertész, 1909, p. 62.

Spongostylum crinitum.—Kertész, 1909, p. 92 [Spogostylum].—Edwards, 1930, p. 172 [crinita].—Stuardo Ortiz, 1946, p. 92 [Spogostylum crinite].

MALE.—Body black, tibiae and genitalia reddish; integument mostly bluish gray pruinose. Front with black setae and scattered linear white scales below. Upper half of face bare medially; eye margins and lower half of face with black setae, few yellow setae intermixed along oral margins. Occiput with scattered, short, mixed black and yellow setae; fringe of pile on posterior margin yellow. First antennal segment about two-thirds as long as apical width; second segment biscuit shaped, more flattened laterally; base of third segment conical, somewhat flattened mesolaterally, tapering to styliform part; style about one-sixth as long as third segment.

Disc of mesonotum with fine black setae and scattered, hairlike yellow scales, a few black scales postmedially; margins with longer setae and longer curly, hairlike white scales. Sternopleuron, mesopleuron, and anterior part of pteropleuron with sparse, erect, hairlike, white scales, dense black setae and some white pile present dorsally on last two. Propleuron, presternum, and anterior margin of mesonotum with white pile, black setae intermixed on mesonotum. Hypopleuron, metapleuron, and posterior part of pteropleuron bare. Coxae with black and yellow setae and linear white scales.

Wing (Plate 6h) nearly hyaline, yellowish at base. R–m crossvein located at basal third of cell 1M2; vein R2+3 arising opposite, without basal spur. Vein R4 with short basal spur about one-third as long as basal section. Contact of cells Cu1 and 1M2 slightly longer than width of base of cell Cu1. Cell 1A narrowly open. Cell 2A wider than cell 1A, alula not reduced. Calypter unpigmented, fringe of hair white, stem of halter yellow, knob yellow basally, paler apically.

Femora with ovate-truncate scales, black anterodorsally, white posteroventrally. Fore femur without macrochaetae; middle femur with anteroventral row; hind femur with anteroventral and incomplete posteroventral rows. Tibiae with black scales anteriorly, and white scales posteriorly.

First abdominal tergum with dense yellowish-white pile laterally. Lateral margins of terga two through seven with dense black and white pile, and long black setae. Discs of terga two through five with extremely fine, recumbent black scales anteromedially, their area decreasing posteriorly; remainder of discs of two through five, and six and seven with mixed yellow and white, fine, curly, recumbent and semirecumbent scales; all terga with long, erect black setae especially laterally and along posterior margins. Abdominal sterna with fine yellow setae, and fine, curly white scales.

MALE GENITALIA (Figure 130).—Gonocoxites broad, rounding to acute apices in lateral view, broadly rounded apically in ventral view; medial sulcus broad, gonocoxites folded over sulcus and meeting mesally at apex; setae scattered on gonocoxites from bases nearly to apices. Basal segment of gonostylus sharply rounded apically with a dorsomedial, truncate basal fold; a few fine setae present apically. Distal segment of gonostylus projecting dorsolaterally, cylindrical, tapering nearly to apex, which is slightly enlarged distally, with a narrow, dactylate lobe extending laterally from near base and curved upward apically. Dorsal part of apex of epiphallus extending upward like a hood in lateral view, dorsal margin bent downward to sharp apical angles, which extend above low, truncate, lateral projections; a deep, angular, mesal emargination defined by sharp angle present in dorsal view; a small node-like projection present medially just above aedeagus. Ventrolateral part of apex of epiphallus projecting as narrow truncate lobes toward apex of aedeagus. Dorsal bands forming broadly angular, tapering, apically directed, lateral lobes before joining above aedeagus. Dorsal margin of epandrium curving downward to cerci; cerci sclerotized, triangular with sharp ventroapical angles, fitting over remainder of genitalia when in normal position.

FEMALE.—No females of this species have been studied. Notes by R. H. and E. M. Painter show the female type of crinitus (Bigot) has faint smoky brown pigment at base of cell R4, base of cell R5, and in the center of cell R of the wing. Both cells R2+3 and R4 have recurrent stumps less than the length of the r–m crossvein at their bases.

DISTRIBUTION.—Only two specimens of this species have been seen by the author, both from 5 miles north of Laguna Dam, Coquimbo, Chile (Ross and Michelbacher, collectors). The type-locality is the province of Santiago, Chile.

TYPES.—The types of Anthrax duodecimpunctatus, squalidus, and bellulus Philippi were not found in any of the European museums R. H. and E. M. Painter visited in their study of types of North and South American Bombyliidae. Some of Philippi’s types are said to be in the Santiago museum, but Mr. Luis Peña was unable to find them there. He stated (personal communication) that they may have been destroyed during an earthquake.

The type of Argyramoeba crinita Bigot is in the British Museum (Natural History). According to Painter and Painter (unpublished notes), it is a female carrying the labels “Argyramoeba crinita n. sp. Inédit. Août Quinz 1886. J. Bigot. Chili,” and “Chili.” It has been badly covered with fungus but is otherwise in good condition. A redescription of the type agrees well with specimens of squalidus except that the wings have slightly more pigment and cells R2+3 and R4 have distinct spurs basally.