The Muscidae (Diptera) of Saudi Arabia, descriptions of two new species, new records and updated list of species
Author
Dawah, Hassan A.
Centre for Environmental Research and Studies, Jazan University, P. O. Box 2095, Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Author
Abdullah, Mohammed A.
0000-0002-3323-3623
Department of Biology, College of Science, King Khalid University, PO Box 9004, Abha- 61413, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. mohd _ robiya @ hotmail. com; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 3323 - 3623
mohd_robiya@hotmail.com
Author
Deeming, John C.
0000-0002-6703-8180
National Museum of Wales, Department of Natural Sciences, Entomology Section, Cardiff, CF 10 3 NP, UK. john. deeming @ museumwales. ac. uk; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 6703 - 8180
john.deeming@museumwales.ac.uk
text
Zootaxa
2020
2020-10-30
4869
1
1
54
journal article
8861
10.11646/zootaxa.4869.1.1
c285848a-ccaf-4f48-8e05-7f9cf6acf225
1175-5326
4418246
C34E9D0C-336A-4F4B-A670-2F342470839D
Brontaea tonitrui
(
Wiedemann, 1824
)
(
Fig. 18
)
Anthomyia tonitrui
Wiedemann, 1824: 52
. Later transferred into
Gymnodia
Robineau-Desvoidy
, now synonymised with
Brontaea
Kowarz.
Specimens examined.
1m
,
Asir
,
Abha
,
Hay Al-Nusub
(Abha farm centre),
20.iv.2013
,
Malaise trap
,
H.A. Dawah
(
CERS
)
;
2m
,
Asir
,
Abha
,
Madenate Al-Ameer Sultan
,
Hay Alsad
,
25.ii.–25.v.2002
,
Malaise trap
,
H.A. Dawah
(
NMWC
)
;
1f,
Najran
,
Al-Shurfa
,
Saleh Maqbol Farm
,
1–29.iv.2013
,
Malaise trap
,
H.A. Dawah
(
CERS
)
.
Distribution.
This species was previously recorded from
Saudi Arabia
by
Pont (1991)
.
Pont (1991)
believes that
Anthomyia tempestatum
Wiedemann
, which was recorded by
Al-Houty (1989)
from
Kuwait
, is in fact
B. tonitrui
. In the Middle East it was recorded from
Kuwait
and
Oman
(
Pont 1991
).
Biological remarks.
The larvae of
Brontaea
live in mammal dung and sometimes in bird droppings. They hatch in the second instar and are obligate carnivores. Adults of
B. tonitrui
are attracted by faeces and carrion (
Gregor
et al
. 2002
) and they have been reared from human faeces (
Skidmore 1985
) and also cow dung (
Pont 1991
).