A revision of the Egyptian species of the genus Actorthia Kröber (Diptera: Therevidae: Phycinae)
Author
Badrawy, Haitham B. M.
Author
Mohammad, Salwa K.
text
Zootaxa
2013
3613
2
181
189
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.3613.2.6
3cf783c3-2733-417f-9dc0-2d41271b231a
1175-5326
221638
E1A8ADB0-B320-46C0-A7C5-91F90AB2CA80
Genus
Actorthia
Kröber, 1912
Actorthia
Kröber, 1912: 3
. Type-species:
Actorthia frontata
Kröber
, by original designation.
Acthortia
Kröber, 1912: 30. Incorrect spelling.
Gyrophthalmus
Becker, 1912: 311
. Type-species:
Gyrophthalmus khedivialis
Becker
, by monotypy. (Synonymy by Kröber 1924.)
Lesneus
Surcouf, 1921: 161
.
Type
species:
Lesneus canescens
Surcouf
, by monotypy. (Synonymy by Lyneborg 1983.)
Gyrophthalminus
Frey, 1936: 52.
Type
species:
Actorthia ahngeri
Frey
, by original designation. (Synonymy by Lyneborg 1983.)
Remarks:
Actorthia
is a problematic genus and reliable synapomorphic characters are lacking compared with other therevid genera. The genus is characterized by its small to medium body size; relatively broad body shape; antenna shorter than head; flagellum narrower than scape; style stout, two-segmented; prosternal depression with or without setae; vein C ending at CuA2+A1; veins M2 and M3 reaching to wing margin; cell
r
4 wide; absence of a hind coxal knob; gonocoxites fused; hypandrium large, free; gonocoxites with lateral extensions; epandrium with posterolateral corners folded inside and covered with setae.
Three species are found in the Egyptian fauna (
Actorthia frontata
(Kröber)
,
A. micans
(Kröber)
and
A. pulchella
Kröber
).
Actorthia khedivialis
(Becker, 1912)
is newly synonymized with
A. frontata
(Kröber, 1912)
and
Actorthia efflatouni
Kröber, 1925
is confirmed as a synonym of
A. micans
(Kröber, 1923)
. The
type
specimens of the all the species of
Actorthia
deposited in (ESEC) have been destroyed by dermestid beetles.
The wing venation of
Actorthia
is most similar to the venation of
Efflatouniella
species (except
Efflatouniella aegyptiaca
Kröber
),
Phycus
Walker
and
Salentia
Costa in that vein C ends at CuA2+A1. The wing is transparent in
Actorthia
but is maculated in most
Efflatouniella
. The length of the antenna is shorter than the head in
Actorthia
but is equal to or longer than the head in the other two genera
Phycus
and
Salentia
. The antenna is shorter than the head and is shared by
Actorthia
and
Ruppellia
Wiedemann
, but the latter genus is distinguished from
Actorthia
by having vein C ending at M2. It is morphologically similar to
Ruppellia
, but
Ruppellia
does not have the extensions of the gonocoxites (except
R. thoracica
(Macquart))
.
The male genitalia of
Actorthia
are most similar to the genitalia of
Acathrito
Lyneborg
, but the latter genus is distinguished from
Actorthia
by having vein C ending at M1 and by possessing a hind coxal knob, which is absent in
Actorthia
.