Actocetor (Actocetor) indicus (Wiedemann 1824) & Actocetor (Poecilostenia) decemguttatus (Bezzi 1908)

Actocetor indicus & A. decemguttatus (Diptera: Ephydridae)

Actocetor is a genus of 7 Old World species occurring primarily in the tropical zones of the Afrotropical and Oriental Regions; 6 species in two subgenera, Actocetor sensu stricto and A. (Poecilostenia), occur in the Afrotropics; 2 species are known from southern Africa.
Actocetor are small acalyptrate flies with dark brown wings with large white spots; found in sandy habitat.

The species are told apart by wing shape and wing spot pattern (compare wing illustrations in
Dikow & Mathis 2002)

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Actocetor indicus

• mesonotum gray microtomentose
• wing normally developed with wide anal angle
• cell cua1 broader than discal medial cell dm
• cell r1 with 2 white spots
• discal medial cell dm with 2 white spots; sub-basal spot broadly U-shaped

• wing vein M4 virtually straight along posterior margin of discal medial cell dm
  Distribution in southern Africa: Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa (Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Kwa Zulu-Natal, Eastern Cape)

Actocetor decemguttatus

• mesonotum yellow microtomentose
• wing very narrow; alula completely reduced
• cell cua1 narrower than discal medial cell dm
• cell r1 with 1 rectangular medial white spots
• discal medial cell dm with 1 circular

• wing vein M4 sinuous along posterior margin of discal medial cell dm
  Distribution: Botswana, Namibia, South Africa

Reference:
Dikow, T. & Mathis, W.N. 2002. A revision and phylogenetic study of Actocetor Becker (Diptera: Ephydridae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 104.

Posted on October 28, 2024 09:12 AM by traianbertau