Anthrax seriepunctatus (Osten Sacken 1886)

Anthrax seriepunctatus (Osten Sacken)

Argyramoeba seriepunctata Osten Sacken, 1886, p. 103.—Kertész, 1909, p. 67.

Spongostylum seriepunctatum.—Aldrich, 1905, p. 223 [Spogostylum].

Anthrax seriepunctatus.—Painter and Painter, 1962, p. 81, 1965, p. 432.

MALE.—Scales on head black and white. Second antennal segment saucer shaped, distal margin produced as sharp flange.

Scales on mesonotum black and white, few gold scales present, especially on margins. Scutellum with white and black scales, few gold scales intermixed with white. Pile on mesopleuron and pteropleuron black and white; scales on pleura threadlike, white. Pile on prosternum, propleuron, and anterior margin of mesonotum mixed black and white, few gold hairs sometimes present; postalar tuft of pile white or mixed black and white. Scales on coxae white.

Cells C and Sc of wing (Plate 2c) subhyaline or hyaline. Remainder of wing largely hyaline, isolated spots or clouds at bases of all cells in outer part, on vein R5 halfway between bases of cells R2+3 and R4, and in cell R below base of cell R1; sometimes a faint cloud submedially on vein 2A and medially on m crossvein.

Fore and middle femora with black scales anteriorly, white scales posteriorly; hind femur with black scales anteriorly, mixed black and white scales posteriorly.

Sides of first abdominal tergum with white pile; posterior margin with long, threadlike white scales. Sides of second tergum with black pile, few white scales posteriorly; sides of terga three, four, and five with black pile and scales anteriorly, and white scales posteriorly, white scales sometimes reduced on four; sixth and seventh terga with white scales laterally, sometimes with a few black scales anteriorly on fifth. Discs of terga two through five with black scales anteriorly and linear white scales across posterior margins, few black scales sometimes interrupting white medially on two and three, and submedially on four and five; sixth and seventh terga with white scales laterally and black scales medially. First sternum with sparse linear white scales; second and third sterna with black scales anterolaterally and white scales elsewhere; scales on posterior sterna predominantly black, few white ones along posterior margins.

FEMALE.—Similar to male. White scales on anterior margin of scutellum reduced or replaced by gold scales. Scales on posterior femur often entirely black. Spots on wing (Plate 2d), often somewhat larger.

MALE GENITALIA (Figure 28).—Similar to pluto pluto. Distal segment of gonostylus short, broad at base. Apex of epiphallus shortened and broadened, ventrolateral parts almost vertical. Apex of aedeagus slightly flared, gonopore apical. Ventral bands swollen dorsally at junction with aedeagus.

FEMALE GENITALIA (Figure 42).—Tenth tergum with nine spines apically on each side; ventral extensions at base sharply pointed apically. Sclerite on each side of gonopore hatchet shaped, lateral extension broad, dorsal margin angled upward; dorsal extension short, broadly angled, ventral extension narrow, curved mesally. Ducts of spermathecae with three convolutions before expanding to bulbs; bulbs bent before middle, narrow basally, broadened after bend and constricted at apex.

MAP 8.—Distribution of Anthrax stellans and A. sereipurutatus.

BODY LENGTH.—9.2 to 12.3 mm.

WING LENGTH.—3.0 to 10.3 mm.

DISTRIBUTION.—The few specimens of seriepunctatus available indicate that the species occurs in the desert shrub area of the southwestern United States and central and western Mexico, and eastward into the mesquite and oak-hickory areas in central Texas (Map 8).

NEW MATERIAL EXAMINED.—Arizona: Gila Co., , Globe, IX–23–1933 (Parker).

New Mexico: Torrance Co., , VI–24, 7,000 feet (R. H. Painter).

Texas: Brewster Co., , Big Bend National Park, VI–23–1947 (L. D. Beamer); , Big Bend National Park, VII–30–1956 (E. G. Matthews); , Glen Spring, VI–20–1928 (F. M. Gaige); , Marathon, VI–25–1947 (A. C. Michener). Brown Co., Brownwood, VI–6–1936 (R. H. Painter). Pecos Co., , , Sheffield, VII–5–1917 (J. Bequaert). San Saba Co., , San Saba, VII–23–1921. Sutton Co., , Sonora, V–4–1954 (L. D. Beamer). Travis Co., , Austin, IV–27–1902. Val Verde Co., , 16 mi. SE Del Rio, IV–10–1950 (Beamers, Stephen, Michener. Rozens).

Mexico: Baja California Sur, , San Ignacio, IX–29–1941 (Ross and Bohart). Sonora, , Guaymas, IV–11–1921 (E. P. Van Duzee).

TYPES.—Anthrax sereipunctatus was described by Osten Sacken (1886) from a male and female from northern Sonora and two females from “Tehuacan.” Painter and Painter (1962) report that the male and female are in the British Museum and the two females from “Tehuacan” are in the Turin Museum. The male was designated as lectotype. The specimens from Tehuacan are far out of the range postulated for this species. Both Osten Sacken and Painter and Painter indicated that they are similar to the specimens from northern Sonora so they probably are specimens of either seriepunctatus or atriplex. In either case, an extension of the postulated range of these species down the eastern coast of Mexico would be indicated.

Anthrax seriepunctatus is a species of bee fly in the family Bombyliidae.

Mexico (Baja California Sur, Coahuila, Sonora, Puebla); USA (Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas).