Spogostylum ocyale Wiedemann 1828
Creators: name: Greathead, D. J.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2003
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Bombyliidae
Spogostylum
Spogostylum ocyale

description: Spogostylum ocyale (Wiedemann, 1828)
Anthrax ocyale Wiedemann, 1828: 285 (Sudan)
Anthrax umbra Walker, 1849: 245 (patria ignota)
Spogostylum arugotense Zaitzev, 1997: 909 (Israel)
Spogostylum sordidum Sack, Greathead, 1980: 320 (Saudi Arabia, females)
The syntype specimen of S. ocyale Wiedemann labelled ‘Nubien Ruppel’ in ZMHB was examined by N. L. Evenhuis and designated lectotype (Evenhuis & Greathead, 1999). This specimen has no spot on the interradial vein. The holotype of S. umbra Walker in BMNH was also examined and is a very dark specimen without the spot on the interradial vein. Similar dark specimens in the author’s collection have a pointed aedeagus, thus S. umbra was designated a synonym of S. ocyale. Theodor (1983: Figs 594­597) correctly identified S. ocyale. However, Zaitzev (1997) reversed Theodor’s designation of the two forms and described S. ocyale as S. arugotense. Greathead (1980b) identified very dark specimens resembling S. ocyale as S. sordidum but re­examination shows that the females are S. ocyale.
Diagnosis. Interradial vein not infuscated (Fig. 1). Male with aedeagus shorter and pointed (Fig. 3: Theodor, 1983: Fig. 596: Greathead, 1967: Fig. 50). Female with spermathecal bulb broad at base and tapering toward apex (Fig. 5: Theodor, 1983: Fig. 597). Specimens show the full range of coloration from very dark to very pale.
Distribution. Afrotropical: Somalia, Sudan, Yemen. Palaearctic: Egypt, Libya, Oman, ‘Palestine’, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates.
Material Examined. Afrotropical. SOMALIA: miles E Berbera, coastal plain, vi.1949, K.M. Guichard 1 male in BMNH. SUDAN: Nubien, Ruppel, lectotype male of Anthrax ocyale Wiedemann in ZMHB; Khartoum, 2 males in UMO. SOMALIA: 4 miles S. of Silil, 10.vi.1957, J. Roffey, 1 male in DJG. YEMEN: Jebel Harir, 5200 feet, 26.x­ 6.xi.1937, H. Scott & E.B. Britton, 1 male, 2 females in BMNH; Lahej, 27.xi.1899, W.R.O. Grant, 1 male in BMNH; Lahej­Aden, dates between vi­xi.1895, C.G. Nurse, 6 males, 1 female in BMNH; Reidat Al Ma’ara, 30.viii.1956, D.J. Greathead 1 male in DJG; near Sana’a, 20.viii.1962, G.B. Popov, 1 female in DJG; Seiyun, 25.viii.1956, D.J. Greathead, 1 female in DJG.
Palaearctic. EGYPT: Baharein, 20.vi.1935, J. Omer­Cooper, 2 females in BMNH; Gara, 4­5.viii.1935, J. Omer­Cooper, 1 male in BMNH; Maragi, 26.vi.1935, J. Omer­Cooper, 1 male in BMNH; Sitra, 15.vi.1935, J. Omer­Cooper, 1 male in BMNH; Siwa, 2.vi.1935, J. Omer­Cooper, 2 males in BMNH; same, 30.vi.1935, 1 female; same, 12.vii.1935 1 female; same, 22.vii.1935, 2 females; same, 24.vii.1935, 1 female; no data, Magdi, 1 female in DJG. JORDAN: Al Balqa Gov., Jordan University Farm, Dayr Alla, 20.viii.1994, light trap, 1 male. LIBYA: ix­x.1957, British Ennedi Expedition, 1 female in BMNH. OMAN: Muscat, Lt. Col. Jayakar, 1 male, 1 female in BMNH; Qara Mountains, Ain Al Rizat, 250 feet, xi.1930, B.S. Thomas, 1 male in BMNH; Wadi Tizi, 19.xi.1982, I.L. Hamer, 1 male in BMNH; Jiddat Al Harasis, Yalooni, 10­18.iv.1982, C.F. Dewhurst, 1 male, 2 females in BMNH and DJG; Khabura, alt. 10 m, 28.vi.1980, R. Whitcombe, 1 female in DJG; Salalah, 5.xi.1976, D.J. Greathead, 1 female in DJG; Salalah, Rabat, 6.xi.1976, D.J. Greathead, 4 males in DJG; Dhofar, Qara Mountains, 21.ix.1977, K.M. Guichard, 2 males in DJG. ‘ PALESTINE ’: Jericho, 14.vii.1918, E.A. Austen, 1 female in BMNH; same, 8.vii.1922, P.A. Buxton, 1 female; same, ix.1918, 1 female in BMNH. SAUDI ARABIA: near Abha, 11.vii.1962, G.B. Popov, 1 female in DJG; Mahail, 18.30N 41.49E, 23.xii.1971, 1 female in DJG; 90 km E of Jedda, 14.iv.1980, K.M. Guichard, 1 female in DJG. UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Salalah, 24.vii.1981, A.R. Pittaway, 1 female in BMNH; Ras Al Kheima, 2.vi.1957, G.B. Popov, 1 female in DJG; same, 20.vi.1957, I female in DJG. PATRIA IGNOTA: Holotype male of Anthrax umbra Walker, ‘presented by Captain Lord Byron’ in BMNH.
description: Published as part of Greathead, D. J., 2003, A sympatric species pair: Spogostylum ocyale (Wiedemann, 1828) and S. griseipenne Macquart, 1850 (Diptera: Bombyliidae), pp. 1-6 in Zootaxa 274 on pages 2-4, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.156528