deciphering their diversity and evolutionary history

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Asiloid Flies
deciphering their diversity and evolutionary history

Sample of Asiloid Flies

New publication on Mydidae from Saudi Arabia

17 October, 2014 - 09:45 -- DikowT

I just came across a new publication on insects of south-western Saudi Arabia including the listing of a Mydidae species. The article by El-Hawagry et al. published in 2013 lists a single specimen of Mydas sp. collected at Al-Mekhwa (= Al Makhwah, 19°45'43''N 041°25'48''W) in Al-Bahah Province in south-western Saudi Arabia. It's very unlikely that the specimens represents a Mydinae species as this subfamily taxon is restricted to the New World. However, it's possible that it represents either one of the rarely collected species Leptomydas danaus (Leptomydinae) or Syllegomydas botta (Syllegomydinae).