Anthrax caatingensis Marston 1970

Anthrax caatingensis

FEMALE.—Face, lower part of front, first antennal segments, legs except apical tarsal segments, margins of thoracic pleura, posterior part of scutellum, posterior abdominal segments, and posterior margins of anterior abdominal segments reddish orange; remainder of body black. Front with black setae above, with mixed black and white setae and linear white scales below. Face with yellowish-white setae extending three-fourths of way to antennae and few linear white scales. Occiput with yellowish-white setae and lanceolate scales; fringe of pile on posterior margin white below, yellowish white above. First antennal segment about as long as apical width; second segment buttonlike; base of third segment bulbous, tapering to styliform part, which is about as long as base and about twice as long as style.

Disc of mesonotum with yellowish-white and brown scales, and fine setae; margins with yellowish, curly scales, gold setae and few black macrochaetae. Scutellum with lanceolate brown scales medially and yellowish-white scales along posterior margins. Sternopleuron, mesopleuron, and anterior part of pteropleuron with white setae and scales, some gold bristles dorsally on last two. Presternum, propleuron, and anterior margin of mesonotum with white and yellowish-white pile. Postalar tuft of pile white. Metapleuron with patch of linear white scales above coxa. Coxae with white bristles and lanceolate scales.

Wing (Plate 6d) with light-brown spots postmedially in cell R1, at bases of cells R2+3 and R5, extending from base of cell Cu1 to base of cell R1; and at bases of cells R and M; anterobasal part of wing between spots yellowish brown to subhyaline. Basal angle of vein R2+3 with spur about as long as basal section; basal angle of vein R4 with short spur about one-fourth as long as basal section. R–m crossvein at basal two-fifths of cell 1M2; vein R2+3 arising slightly basad. Contact of cells 1M2 and Cu1 about twice as long as width of base of cell Cu1. Cell 2A about 1.5 times as wide as cell 1A; alula well developed, posterior margin convex. Calypter subhyaline, fringe of hairs white. Stem of halter brown, knob brown basally, yellow apically.

Femora and tibiae with white and yellowish-white, lanceolate scales. Middle femur with incomplete anteroventral row of macrochaetae. Hind femur with anteroventral and anterodorsal rows of macrochaetae incomplete basally.

Lateral margins of first abdominal tergum with yellowish-white pile; posterior margin with curly, lanceolate, yellowish-white scales. Lateral margins of terga two through seven with white setae and some semirecumbent, lanceolate white scales, few black setae posteriorly. Discs of terga two through seven with sparse black setae, and linear and lanceolate scales, yellow and gold anteromedially, white posterolaterally, especially on posterior terga. Venter with fine white setae and ovate white scales.

FEMALE GENITALIA (Figure 122).—Tenth tergum with seven spines on each side. Ventral arm of ninth tergum narrow, apex not enlarged. Dorsomedial angle of sclerite on each side of gonopore not produced; lateral arm narrow, dorsal margin undulate, ventral margin curving up to acute apex; ventral arm narrow, curving mesad below. Each duct of spermathecae slightly longer than bulb, first section short and clear; second section about as long as bulb and covered with granular pubescence; third section very short before expanding to stem of bulb; bulb ovoid with stem about half as long as distal portion.

VARIATION.—The only other specimen available, a female, is similar in most respects to the holotype. The scales on the upper half of the occiput may be yellow.

DISTRIBUTION AND ECOLOGY.—The two specimens known of caatingensis were collected near a railway along the river just southwest of Mossoró. The area was typical caatinga; the soil was sandy and apparently plants derived subterranean moisture from the river. This species was taken along with A. inaquosum Marston. Anthrax caatingensis probably occurs throughout the desert area of northeastern Brazil.

HOLOTYPE.—, Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, XII–4–1960 (N. Marston-1) (USNM).

PARATYPE.—, Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, XII–5–1960 (N. Marston-2) (NLM).

The holotype is in good condition except that the abdomen is slightly rubbed, the mesonotum is slightly greasy, and one middle leg is missing. The paratype lacks one of the third antennal segments and the mesonotum and scutellum are greasy. Both specimens may be slightly teneral; for that reason the extent of the red body color has not been emphasized.

Anthrax caatingensis adalah spesies lalat yang berasal dari genus Anthrax dan famili Bombyliidae. Lalat ini juga merupakan bagian dari ordo Diptera, kelas Insecta, filum Arthropoda, dan kingdom Animalia.

Lalat ini biasanya memakan nektar dan polen yang ada dalam bunga.