Table Of ContentPROC. ENTOMOL. SOC. WASH.
109(3), 2007, pp. 643-648
NEW SPECIES OF DAMALIS FABRICIUS AND OMMATIUS WIEDEMANN
(DIPTERA: ASILIDAE) FROM INDIA
Aubrey G. Scarbrough
Visiting Scholar, Department ofEntomology, The University ofArizona, Tucson,
AZ
85741, U.S.A. (e-mail: [email protected])
—
Abstract. Two new species of asilids, Damalis anamaliensis (Trigonomiminae)
from Kerala State and Ommathis disparis (Ommatiinae) from Maharashtra State,
India, are described, illustrated, and compared with congeners. This is the first report
of a species of Ommatius from this region of India.
Key Words: Asilidae, Trigonomiminae, Ommatiinae, Damalis, Ommatius, new
species, India
Damalis Fabricius, 1805 and Omma- respectively. That of Ommatius is illus-
tius Wiedemann, 1821 are widely distrib- trated in the normal dorsal-ventral posi-
uted asilid genera in the Oriental Region tion. A single measurement bar is used
(Oldroyd 1975). Presently, India has the for terminalia illustrated in different
larger number of species of these genera positions. Data are recorded as they
with 23 and 52, respectively (Joseph and appear on labels with each line denoted
Parui 1984a, b, 1987a, b, 1990a, b, 1995, by a slash [/]. Dates are recorded as
1998, 1999). Recently, two undescribed Roman numerals.
species from southern and south-central
India were found in the Institut Royal Damalis anamaliensis Scarbrough,
des Sciences Naturalles de Belgique new species
(IRSNB) and in the University Museum (Figs. 1-4)
—
ofNatural History, Oxford (UMO). The Male. Body black. Measurements,
species are described, the terminalia body 8.0-13.0 mm, wings 7.9-11.5 mm.
illustrated, and compared with conge- Head: Face and frons brown tomentose,
ners, increasing the number of species of dense except dorsal 1/2 of face sparse,
Damalis to 24 and Ommatius to 53. subshiny; face, frons, antenna, ocellar
Morphological terminology follows tubercle, palpus, and proboscis black
McAlpine (1981). Measurements were setose, that of face especially abundant;
made using an ocular micrometer in bristles absent. Occiput dusty gray tomen-
a Meiji dissecting microscope. Termina- tose, slightly brownish or yellowish along
Ha were prepared for study, illustrated, margin of eye; white setose except black
and permanently stored following Scar- across vertex, continuing to midlateral
brough (2005) and Scarbrough and margin of eye. Palpus brown apically,
Costantino (2005). Damalis terminalia brownish yellow basally, yellowish setose.
are illustrated in their normal rotated Thorax: Black, mostly dusty gray
(180°) position with the hypandrium and tomentose, brownish yellow above post-
epandria in dorsal and ventral positions. alar callus; obvious longitudinal stripes
644 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
Figs. 1^. Male terminalia of Daiiuilis cmamaliensis. 1-3, Lateral, dorsal, and ventral views. 4,
Gonostylus, lateral view. Abbrevations, Ae=aedeagus, Ce=cercus, Ep=epandrium, Gc=gonocoxite,
Gcp=gonocoxal process, gr=groove, Gs=Gonostylus, Hp=hypandrium, T7=tergite 7, T8=tergite 8.
absent dorsally; black setose, especially black; preapical groove present. Pleuron
long and abundant medially and poster- yellowish gray to yellowish tomentose,
iorly, bristles absent. Scutellum yellowish setae mostly black, katatergite with
gray or gray tomentose, with short black sparse whitish setae dorsally. Halter dull
setae; marginal setae contrastingly long. brownish yellow or yellow.
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VOLUME NUMBER
109, 3 645
Wing: Mostly blackish microtrichose, lateral view. Apical margin of hypan-
bm cells posteriorly mostly bare; slightly drium simple, not produced medially.
—
brownish anteriorly, subcostal and costal Female. Unknown.
cells darkest. Crossvein r-m at apical 1/3 Types.—Holotype S INDIA: S. India
,
ofcell d, sHghtly longer than width ofcell [Kerala State], Anamalai Hills / Cincho-
mi basally. Cell mi narrow basally, sides na 3500f/ ix.l969 (IRSNB). Paratype $
divergent on basal 1/3, constricted pre- same data as holotype (IRSNB). ,
—
apically; base about 1/3 as wide as cell at Etymology. The name ananialiensis
its widest point. Five posterior cells refers to the type locality (Anamalai
present.
Hills).
Legs: Black setose, stout bristles ab- Remarks. Danialis ananialiensis is
sent. Coxae, trochanters, and femora distinguished from congeners by the
black except basal 1/4-1/3 ofhind femur abundant facial setae, absence of facial
yellow or yellowish brown; middle and bristles, dusty grayish tomentum of the
hind coxae yellow setose laterally; hind thoracic dorsum, blackish legs, yellowish
trochanter without spiny bristles apical- tarsomeres, and combined characters of
ly. Hind femur moderately swollen me- the terminalia (Figs. 1^). Damalis ana-
dially, 2.2 times wider than base; apical nialiensis will run to couplet 1 1 in Joseph
1/3 with only 3 bristles in each ventral and Parui's (1984b) key but is distin-
row. Tibiae yellow, narrow apices black- guished from D. artigasi Joseph and
ish; front and middle tibiae blackish Parui and D. rufoabdoniinalis Joseph
anteriorly. Tarsi with all tarsomeres and Parui by the absence of a medially
yellow, at least basally, apices black, produced projection along the apical
black becoming more widespread on
margin of the hypandrium. It is further
apical 2-3 tarsomeres; pulvillus yellow, distinguished from D. artigasi by the
claws yellow basally, black apically.
largely black hind femur whereas it is
Abdomen: Black, shiny dorsally, slen- yellow with a black median band ('ring')
der with basal 5 segments of equal
in the latter species. It is also distin-
widths, lateral margins of tergites partly guished from D. rufoabdoniinalis in the
or entirely yellowish-gray tomentose; black abdomen whereas it is brownish
sternites yellowish-gray tomentose, ster- yellow in the latter species. Damalis
nite 1 entirely and 2-6 with large anamaliensis is distinguished from D.
atomentose spots laterally. Setae mostly pseudoartigasi Joseph and Parui (1987b)
whitish, usually long, scattered on ster-
by the abundant black setae of the face,
nites, abundant on all tergites laterally; black femora, and characters of the
tergites 1-2 whitish setose dorsally;
terminalia (Figs. 1^), especially the
tergites 3-8 dorsally with black, short footlike gonostylus, and the shape of
setae. the aedeagus, and absence of a promi-
Terminalia (Figs. 1^): Reddish or
nently produced apical margin of the
yellowish brown with mostly blackish
hypandrium and a median process along
vestiture. Cercus elongate, triangular,
the apical margin of the gonocoxa.
apex pointed, yellow setose. Epandrium
short, wide, triangular; epandrial notch Ommatius disparis Scarbrough,
wide, U-shaped in dorsal view. Gonos- new species
tylus flat, footlike, apex asymmetrically
(Figs. 5 9)
capitate. Gonocoxal process short, not —
projecting beyond epandrium. Aedeagus Male. Body 10.8 mm; wing 9.3 mm.
tubular apically, flattened and wider Head: Yellowish tomentose, yellow se-
than preapically, slightly triangular in tose. Face narrow, 1/10 as wide as head
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
646
Figs. 5-9. Male terminalia of Ommatius disparts Scarbrough. 5-7, Lateral, dorsal, and ventral views.
8, Gonostylus, lateral view. 9, Aedeagus, lateral view. Abbrevations, Ae=aedeagus. Ce=cercus,
Ep=epandrium, Gc=gonocoxite, Gs=Gonostylus, Hp=hypandrium.
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VOLUME NUMBER
109, 3 647
at antennae; setae sparse dorsally, 5-6 bristles of front tibia yellow. Tarsi
thin brown bristles and long setae on mostly reddish brown with apical tar-
lower 1/3. Palpus, proboscis, frons, and someres darkest; basal tarsomere yellow,
ocellar tubercle yellow setose. Antenna narrow apex reddish brown; hind basi-
brown setose, 1 seta below scape long, tarsomere yellowish brown basally; bris-
extending to apex offlagellum; scape and tles brown.
pedicel yellowish brown; flagellum black, Abdomen: Largely yellowish brown,
about 1/3 longer than wide basally, segment 1 entirely, segment 2 and tergite
longer than combined length of scape 3 largely black, wide apical margins of
and pedicel; style sparsely setose, 1-2 at tergites 1-2 yellowish brown. Setae
apex, 3 on apical 1/2 ventrally. Frons mostly yellow, tergite 4 and sternite 5
narrow, sides converge slightly dorsally. sparsely brown setose, tergites 5 8 and
Occiput yellowish to white tomentose, sternites 6-8 entirely black setose.
whitish setose; postocular bristles yellow, Terminalia fFigs. 5-9j.- Yellowish
proclinate, those dorsally with tips just brown, mostly yellow setose. Epandrium
beyond posterior margin of eye. angular ventrobasally, bent downward
Thorax: Black, postalar callus reddish. apically, with deep, narrow, notch. Go-
Pronotum white setose, 4 yellowish nostylus sickleshaped, tapered apically.
bristles dorsally. Scutum with sparse, Aedeagus linear, distiphallus slightly
yellow setae; dorsocentral bristles thin, curved upward apically. Hypandrium
setalike, 2 posterior bristles black; noto-
wide, truncate apically.
pleural bristles yellow, supra-alar and Female.—Unknown.
postalar bristles black. Scutellum with Holotype.—S INDIA: Poona [mod-
sparse yellow setae and shallow preapical ,
ern-day Pune, Maharashtra State, south-
groove, stout marginal bristles absent.
central India] / Ghauts of. [Western
Pleuron yellowish-gray tomentose, spar-
sely white setose; anepimeral and kata- TG.haB.utFrMyo,uPnrteasi.n1s9]05/ Cboyll/.J.aWbt.. Y1e8r8b8u/ryby/
tergal bristles white. Halter yellow. 1905 /1365 (UMO).
Wing: Costal margin straight, not —
Etymology. Latin disparts meaning
dilated anteriorly; apical 1/3 densely
'different or unequal' referring to the
microtrichose. Base ofcell r^just beyond
different lengths of the epandrial lobes.
apex of cell d; R5 slightly concave.
Crossvein r-m well beyond middle ofcell Remarks. Oniniatius disparis is the
d, about 1/2 as long as CuAi+Mj. Cell first species of Ommatius recorded from
mi narrow basally, 1/3 as wide as cell at the Indian State of Maharashtra. It
distinguished from congeners by the
basal 1/3, constricted preapically.
yellow setae and bristles of the body,
Legs: Coxae and trochanters black,
yellowish-gray tomentose, vestiture yel- style with sparse setae, bare basally,
lowish. Front and middle femora yellow flagellum as long as scape and pedicel
combined, hind femur brown except
with slight tint ofbrown dorsally, yellow
setose ventrally, setae below middle basal 1/2 dorsally and narrow apex and
femur moderately thick. Hind femur narrow base ventrally yellow, basal 3
normal, about 6 times longer than wide; segments of abdomen mostly black,
apical 1/3-1/2 and venter except narrow remaining yellow brown, and combined
base and apex brown, remaining yellow; characters of the terminalia (Figs. 5-9).
anteroventral bristles absent; 7-8 yellow Ommatius disparts runs to couplet 46
posteroventral bristles present. Tibiae in the Joseph and Parui (1998) key. The
yellow, apical 1/4-1/3 of hind tibia modified key below separates the three
brown; bristles mostly brown, lateral species.
648 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
46. Antenna black; femora black except yel- keys to Indian species. Entomologia Scandi-
lowish apex of front femur (Andhra navica 15(4): 443^53.
Pradesh) 1987a. On some Asilidae (Diptera) from
.
pseudojabalpurensis Joseph and Pauri India. Bulletin of the Zoological Survey of
Pedicel and scape brownish yellow or India 8(1-3): 89-109.
yellowish, flagellum brown; femora partly 1987b. On some Asilidae (Diptera) present
.
yellow 46a in the B. P. Bishop Museum, Honolulu I.
46a.Front and middle femora yellowish Bulletin of the Zoological Survey of India
brown, apices black; hind femur mostly 8(1-3): 223-235.
black, basal 1/3 yellowish brown; hind 1990a. Four new species of Asilidae
.
basitarsomere and terminalia black; epan- (Diptera) from India. Hexapoda 2: 51-56.
drium with dorsal lobe flat, bladelike, 4-5 1990b. On some Asilidae (Diptera) present
.
times as long as ventral lobe, ventral lobe in the B. P. Bishop Museum. Honolulu II.
spinelike (Andaman Island) Record of the Zoological Survey of India
rajaiii Joseph and Parui 86(2): 261-273.
bFrroonwtnisahndyemlildodwledofresamlolrya; yheilnldow,fepmaulre and. a1d9j9a5.cenOtncoAusnitlriideasep(rDeispetnetrai)n tfhreomCalIinfdoira-
yellowish on basal 1/2-2/3; hind basitar- nia Academy ofScience. Wasmann Journal of
somere and terminalia yellowish brown;
Biology 50(1-2): 1-38.
lobes of epandrium long and slender, 1998. The Fauna of India and Adjacent
ventral lobe slightly longer than dorsal .
lobe (Figs. 5-7) (Western Ghaut Moun- Countries. Diptera (Asilidae) part I. Zoologi-
cal Survey ofIndia, Calcutta, pp. 1-278.
tains, Maharashtra State) . . disparis, n. sp. . 1999. Asilidae (Diptera) from Andwra
Pradesh, India. Record of the Zoological
Acknowledgments Survey ofIndia 97(1): 1-25.
I thank the following colleagues and McAlopgiyne-,adJu.ltFs.,1p9p8.1.9-M6o3r.pIhnolMocAglypianned,tJe.rmFi.n,olB-.
institutions for the loan ofspecimens and V. Peterson, G. E. Shewell, H. J. Teskey, J. R.
other assistance relevant to this study: J. Vockeroth. and D. M. Wood, eds. Manual of
Constant and Pol Limbourg (IRSNB); Nearctic Diptera. Vol. 1. Agriculture Canada.
Darren Mann, John Ismay, and Adrian Monograph 27, Ottawa.
Pont (UMO). Torsten Dikow (American Oldroyd, H. 1975. Family Asihdae, pp. 99-156. In
Museum ofNatural History, New York) ADelcfamtadloo,g oMf.DiDp.teraandof tDh.e OEr.ienHtaarldyR,egieodns..
is thanked for reviewing the manuscript Volume 2. University of Hawaii Press, Hono-
and providing useful suggestions. lulu.
Scarbrough, A. G. 2005. Synopsis ofAireina Frey
and Damalis Fabricius (Diptera: Asilidae)
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