An overview of the Syrphidae (Diptera) of Saudi Arabia
Author
Dawah, Hassan A.
Author
Abdullah, Mohammed A.
0000-0002-3323-3623
mohd_robiya@hotmail.com
Author
Ahmad, Syed Kamran
0000-0002-6211-2345
entosaif@rediffmail.com
Author
Al-Dhafer, Hathal
0000-0002-4911-2332
hdhafer@ksu.edu.sa
Author
Turner, James
0000-0003-2411-7396
urner@museumwales.ac.uk
text
Zootaxa
2020
2020-09-25
4855
1
1
69
journal article
8491
10.11646/zootaxa.4855.1.1
1ad9a0ab-ccd4-4047-9a29-f2dd287dc3e3
1175-5326
4411181
28A15E99-7A79-40CA-A0C6-1DC501B69E46
Eumerus vestitus
Bezzi, 1912
(
Fig. 37
)
Eumerus vestitus
Bezzi, 1912: 442
FIGURE 37.
Habitus of
Eumerus vestitus
Bezzi, 1912
. Female, lateral view.
Examined specimens.
1♂
,
Asir
,
Abha
,
Hay Al-Nusub
,
1–25.v.2013
,
Malaise trap
,
H.A. Dawah
(
CERS
)
;
1♀
, same locality but
20.iv.2013
(
CERS
)
;
1♀
, same locality but
6–27.vii.2013
(
CERS
)
;
1♀
,
Jazan
,
Abu-Aresh
,
Al-Mahdag Village
,
11.xii. 2011
,
Malaise trap
,
H.A. Dawah
(
NMWC
)
;
1♂
, same locality but
13.i.2012
;
1♂
, same locality but
10–25.ii.2012
;
1♂
, same lcality but
24.ii.2013
(Martin Ebejer collection);
1♂
, same locality but
6–27.vii.2013
(
CERS
)
;
2♂
, same locality but
9–30.xii.2013
;
1♂
, same locality but
5–26.i.2014
;
Najran
,
Al-Shurfa
,
1–29.iv.2013
,
Malaise trap
,
H.A. Dawah
(
CERS
)
;
1♀
, same locality but
7–28.v.2014
;
1♂
,
Jazan
,
Wadi Lejab
,
17.v–8.vi.2015
,
Malaise trap
,
H.A. Dawah
(
CERS
)
;
2♀
,
Asir
,
Maraba
,
Al-Hudaithy Fruit Farm
,
3–24.xii.2013
,
H.A. Dawah
(
NMWC
)
;
1♀
,
Asir
,
Karatha
,
Al-Ethrebany
fruit farm,
19.vi–10.vii.2013
,
Malaise trap
,
H.A. Dawah
(
CERS
)
;
2♂
, same locality but
1–20.i.2014
(
NMWC
)
;
2♂
, same locality but
23.i–13.iii.2014
(
NMWC
)
;
2♂
, same locality but
6–27.v.2014
(
NMWC
)
.
Distribution.
This species is recently recorded from
Saudi Arabia
by
El-Hawagry
et al
. (2019)
. It was described from
Guinea-Bissau
and is further recorded from
Sudan
(
Smith & Vockeroth 1980
;
Whittington 2003
).
Smit
et al
. (2017)
record
E. vestitus
for the first time from the
UAE
and
Yemen
.
Genus
Eupeodes
Osten
Sacken
Species of the genus
Eupeodes
are widely distributed in all zoogeographical regions except Australasian has approximately 95 species mostly in the Palaearctic and Neotropical regions (
Jilong
et al
. 1997
;
Jilong
et al.
1998
;
Mazánek
et al.
1999
). The hoverflies of the genus
Eupeodes
have yellowish transverse banding or interrupted banding on the abdomen, which gives them a wasp-like appearance (de Meutter van 2009). Their eyes are bare and the sides of the abdomen have a well-defined ridge. The distribution of areas of microtrichia on wings is of diagnostic importance when separating species. The species of this genus play a very important role in the ecosystem as adults help in cross-pollination and larvae are biological control agents for reducing pest insects since the larvae feed on aphids injurious to different crops (
Stubbs & Falk 2002
;
Turk
et al
. 2015a
). The majority of
Eupeodes
feed on aphids on trees, shrubs and herbs.
Eupeodes
is also previously known by its junior synonym
Metasyrphus
Matsumura.