Ophiomyia beckeri ( Hendel, 1923 )

Dawah, Hassan A. & Deeming, John C., 2025, An overview of the Agromyzidae (Diptera) of Saudi Arabia with additional world distributional data, Zootaxa 5583 (1), pp. 1-38 : 11-12

Ophiomyia beckeri ( Hendel, 1923)

( Fig. 14 )

Melanagromyza beckeri Hendel, 1923:145 .

Material examined. SAUDI ARABIA: 8♂, 1♀, Asir, Abha, Hay Al-Nusub , 3.vi.2001, Malaise trap, H.A. Dawah ( ENRC; NMWC); 3♂, 2♂, Asir, Abha, Hay Al-Menhel , 23.v.–12.vi.2013, Malaise trap, H.A. Dawah ( NMWC). MALTA: 1♂, Qormi, Wadi Wied il-Kbir, 25.v.1995, J.C. Deeming ( NMWC); 2♂, Fiddien , 5.v.2002, B. Merz ( NMWC). MOROCCO: 1 ♀, Asni, 45km of Marrakesh , 1218m, 12.v.1986, A.H. Kirk-Spriggs ( NMWC). OMAN: 6♂, Muscat, Al Khuwair, 16.iii.1990, Malaise trap, R.Matthai (4♂ in NMWC and 2♂ in Oman Natural History Museum, Al Khuwair ). TUNISIA: 6♂, 2♀, Tabarka, Cap Negro , 15.v.1995, J.C. Deeming ( NMWC). UAE: 1♂, Sharjah Desert Park , 8–15.iv.2007, light trap, A. van Harten ( NMWC); 1♂, same data but 29.iii–6.iv.2005; 2♂, same data but 9–21.iii.2005; 2♂, Hatta , 14–21.vi.2006, light trap ( NMWC); 4♂, Sharjah, Khor Kalba , near tunnel, light trap ( NMWC); 3♂, 2♀, Barqa Al Sugoor Protected Area , Malaise trap, 17.iv.2019, A. Saji & A. van Harten ( NMWC); 1♂, Wadi Wurayah , 12–14.iv.2005, T. Pape ( NMWC).

Distribution. Previously recorded from Saudi Arabia by Deeming (2006). New for the fauna of UAE. It was described from Canary Islands and Egypt and was further recorded from the Afrotropical Region: Kenya, Mozambique, Oman, South Africa, Tanzania, Yemen and Zimbabwe (as Rhodesia); Palaearctic Region: Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Canary Islands, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece incl. Crete, Hungary, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein, Lithuania; Malta, Morocco, Poland, Portugal, incl. Madeira, Sicily, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey and Ukraine: Oriental Region: India: Nearctic Region; USA ( Cogan 1980; Papp 1984a; Černý 2005; Deeming 2006; Kahanpää 2014; Černý & von Tschirnhaus 2014; Černý et al. 2018; Eiseman et al. 2019).

Host remarks. Al-Houty (1989: 144) recorded it from Kuwait from Launaea Cass. ( Asteraceae ) as its host plant. Spencer (1973a: 60) records it as leaf-miner of Crepis L. ( Asteraceae ), Hypochaeris L. ( Asteraceae ), Leontodon L. ( Asteraceae ), Picris L. ( Asteraceae ), Sonchus L. ( Asteraceae ), and Taraxacum F.H. Wigg. ( Asteraceae ) It has been also reared from Krigia virginica (L.) Willd ( Asteraceae ) ( Eiseman et al. 2019).

Figures

FIGURES 13–16. Habitus of: (13) Ophiomyia arabica (Deeming, 2006), Male (SAUDI ARABIA:Jazan, Abu Aresh, Al- Mahdag Village, 5–20.vi.2011, Malaise trap, H.A. Dawah); (14). Ophiomyia beckeri (Hendel, 1923), Male (SAUDI ARABIA: Asir, Abha, Hay Al-Nusub (Abha Farm Centre), 3.vi.2001, Malaise trap, H.A. Dawah; (15–16) Ophiomyia centrosematis (de Meijere, 1940): (15) Female, lateral view (SAUDI ARABIA: Asir, Abha, Madinate Al-Ameer Sultan, 6.xi.2003, Malaise trap, H.A. Dawah); (16) Male, lateral view (SAUDI ARABIA: Asir, Abha, Madinate Al-Ameer Sultan, 6–27.viii.2013, Malaise trap, H.A. Dawah).