Timia

Timia sp. cf. berlandi Séguy

(Figs. 16, 31, 49, 72)

Material examined. EGYPT [Israel]: Sinai, Mitle, 13.iv.1973, A. Freidberg (1♂), ex Cistanche tubulosa (TAUI). Description. Head (Fig. 16): Structure: 0.82 times as high as long. Frons posteriorly 0.91 times as wide as long and at lunule level 1.19 times as wide as long, slightly canaliculate. Eye 0.88 times as high as long. Gena 0.37 times as high as eye, slightly canaliculate. Fronto-orbital plate at antenna insertion level 0.51 times as long as eye. Clypeus barely noticeable. Color and vestiture: head mostly yellow. Occiput and antennal groove slightly silvery microtrichose. Ocellar triangle black. Fine silvery microtrichose line present ventrally at orbit along eye margin, with triangular widening at antenna insertion level. Arista with microscopic rays. Palpus yellow, slightly gray microtrichose. Proboscis brown. Setae and setulae: medial vertical seta as long as lateral vertical seta; 1 lateral vertical setula present on right side, 0.9 times as long as vertical seta; 1 medial vertical setula present on left side, 0.9 times as long as vertical seta; ocellar seta missing; postocellar seta 0.6 times as long as medial vertical seta. Frons, parafacial and gena short setulose; setulae about 0.5 times as long as medial vertical seta. Gena with several long setulae ventrally. Postgena setulose. Palpus with long black setulae; labellum with long whitish setulae.

Thorax: Color and vestiture: yellow, densely shagreened, with irregular brown spots. 1 acrostichal stripe of silvery microtrichia, extending from pronotum to scutellum; 1 presutural transverse stripe of silvery microtrichia, extending from dorsocentral level to postpronotal lobe. Scutellum shiny yellow with irregular short black lines. Anatergite slightly silvery microtrichose. Setae and setulae: 1 supra-alar, 1 anepisternal, 1–2 katepisternal and 2 scutellar setae present. Dorsocentral seta weak, setula like. Proepimeron, anepisternum and katepisternum long setulose; setulae as long as major setae. Postpronotal lobe with 1 setula. Scutellum laterally with 2 setulae, 1 anterior and 1 posterior to basal scutellar seta; setulae 0.9 times as long as major setae on scutellum; otherwise, scutellum bare.

Legs: Tarsi with 2 apical tarsomeres slightly flattened. Legs mostly brownish orange except hind tarsi yellow.

Wing (Fig. 31): Hyaline, no pattern present; pterostigma mat yellow. Venation: Veins yellow. Crossvein R-M aligned with apex of vein R1. Ratios: Cell r4+5 0.07; vein Cu2 0.88.Calypteres yellowish white. Halter brown.

Abdomen: Due to the dissection of this specimen, the abdomen color and vestiture were damaged and could not be examined.

Male terminalia: Epandrium (Fig. 49) 1.13 times as high as wide; cerci medially elongate, otherwise small, nearly conjoint. Lateral surstylus with prominent anterior (medial) lobe, bearing 2 prensisetae medially and few smaller spines posteriorly; posterior (lateral) lobe of lateral surstylus receded, apically pointed and dorsoclinate. Phallus without caecum. Glans (Fig. 72) rectangular, with curved angles.

Female terminalia: Unavailable.

Measurements (mm): Body length 4.74, wing length 3.48.

Distribution. Egypt.

Diagnosis. This species differs from its congeners in the following combination of charcters: a mostly yellow body, head longer than high and lateral surstylus bilobate.

Comments. The only specimen of this species was reared by the junior author (AF) from Cistanche tubulosa (Orobanchaceae) collected in the Sinai (Egypt) in 1973. Both authors attempted to rear additional specimens from C. tubulosa plants collected in various arid parts of Israel (Dead Sea area, Negev, 'Arava Valley) but without success.

We compared photographs of the holotype of T. berlandi to our specimen, but could not examine the holotype itself.