Atherigona (Acritochaeta) yorki ssp. yorki Deeming, 1971

Fig. 23

Atherigona yorki Deeming, 1971: 147, figs 8–12; Deeming & Overman 1987: 117; Pont 1991: 343; Dike 2003: 218 (distribution).

Material examined: 1♂, Katima Mulilo District, Salambala pan, 17°50'00''S, 24°35'58''E, 23–27.xii.2002, A.H. & M.K. Kirk-Spriggs, Malaise trap sample; 1♂, Opuwa District, Ekuju village: Kunene River, 17°19'30''S, 13°48'56''E, 11–12.x.1999, [A.H.] Kirk-Spriggs, [T.] Pape & [W.] Hauwanga, Malaise trap, riverine forest (NMNW) .

Remarks: Although almost the entire type series was recorded as developing in cereal shoots, this species is predaceous on other soft-bodied larvae.Additional descriptions and notes on the puparia were provided by Skidmore (1985: 295). Overlooked in the original description of the species was the fact that the inner side of the surstylus (Fig. 23, sur) bears a pair of tooth-like spines (Fig. 23, sp).

Distribution: (Afrotropical): Benin *, Botswana, Côte d’Ivoire *, Ethiopia *, Ghana *, Kenya, Namibia *, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Uganda and Yemen; (Palaearctic): Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Spain. 2♂, “R. P. Benin (Dahomey), Abomey-Calavi, c. 25 km N. of Cotonou, xii.1988, J.S. Noyes”, 1♂, “ Ivory Coast, Lampto, 11– 29.xi.1988, J.S. Noyes”; 1♂, “ Ethiopia, Oromo Prov., Debre Zeit, 1800 m, 21–23.ii.2005, Malaise trap in Pennisetum purpureum, M.R. Wilson ” and 1♂, “ Ghana, Legon, i.1989, M. Cobblah”, deposited in NMWC, represent new country records.

Host-plants: Sorghum, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench., Pearl millet, Cenchrus americanus (L.) Morrone (recorded as synonym Pennisetum glaucum L.), Napier grass, Cenchrus purpureus (as Pennisetum purpureum) and Maize, Zea mays L. (all Poaceae).