Aphaniosoma sodalis Collin 1949

Aphaniosoma sodalis Collin, 1949

Figs 79–81

Material examined

Lectotype (here designated)

EGYPT • ♂; Siwa Oasis; 29 Apr. 1935; J. Omer-Cooper leg., Armstrong College Expedition; NHMUK, B.M. 1935–354, bar code 013435848.

Paralectotypes

1 ♂; Siwa Oasis; 12 May 1935; J. Omer-Cooper leg., Armstrong College Expedition; NHMUK, B.M. 1935–354, bar code 013435849 • 5 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceeding; bar codes 013435869– 73.

Remarks

Although Collin (1949: 140–141) stated that he described the species from 2 males and 8 females, Pont (1995: 151) could not locate one of the females, nor has it been located by the present author for this study. Only one of the males examined for this study can be the species to which Collin gave the name, based on his description and illustration. This is here designated lectotype (Figs. 79–80). The second male (Figs 79–80) (paralectotype), upon critical examination of the hypopygium under high magnification, appears to be a different species and to be closest to A. angulitergum sp. nov., although it is not that species. Further topotypic material is desirable (to establish identity by dissection and for description) so as to avoid probable serious damage to this specimen if an attempt is made to dissect it. Of the 7 females found among the syntype series, 2 are in too poor a state to be recognized as any species and are not considered syntypes here. The rest are labelled as paralectotypes although they could belong equally to A. sodalis or to the second unidentified species.

The record of A. sodalis from Yemen (Ebejer 1996) is incorrect. Higher magnification was used to re-check the specimen for this article and to compare it directly with the type – it is not the same species. Chromatic pattern and chaetotaxy are now recognized to be far less reliable than earlier authors supposed.

Distribution

Egypt (Collin 1949).