A new species of Alhajarmyia Stuckenberg (Diptera: Vermileonidae), the first wormlion fly described from East Africa and its biogeographical implications

Publication Type

Journal Article

Journal Name

Zootaxa

Name of Author

Vaughn R. Swart, University of the Free State
Ashley H. Kirk-Spriggs, National Museum, Bloemfontein
Robert S. Copeland, International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology Nairobi

Publication Date

11-20-2015

Abstract

A second species of the genus Alhajarmyia Stuckenberg (A. stuckenbergi Swart, Kirk-Spriggs & Copeland, sp. n.), is described and figured, from the Eastern Arc Mountains of Kenya (Kasigau Mountain and Taita Hills), being the first vermileonid recorded from East Africa. The species is shown to differ from its congener, A. umbraticola (Stuckenberg & Fisher), described from Oman in the Arabian Peninsula, based on external characters including male and female terminalia. An identification key is provided together with distribution maps for the two species, and biogeographical aspects are discussed.

Keywords

Afrotropical, Allopatric speciation, Ancient relicts, Biogeography, Eastern Arc Mountains, Identification key, Kenya, Oman, Tabanomorpha, Taita Hills

PubMed ID

26624725

Recommended Citation

Swart, V., Kirk-Spriggs, A., & Copeland, R. (2015). A new species of Alhajarmyia Stuckenberg (Diptera: Vermileonidae), the first wormlion fly described from East Africa and its biogeographical implications. Zootaxa, 4044 (4), 556-566. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4044.4.5