Conops platyfrons Kröber, 1915

Stuke, Jens-Hermann, 2019, New conopid records from the Afrotropical Region (Diptera: Conopidae). Part 2: Conopinae excluding Physocephalini, Israel Journal of Entomology (Oxford, England) 49 (2), pp. 277-349 : 334

Conops platyfrons Kröber, 1915

Conops platyfrons Kröber, 1915 b: 47 .

The depository of the holotype of C. platyfrons is unknown (“Koll. Bequaert”) and it is impossible to identify the subgenus judging from characters in the original description. KrÖber’s (1915 b: 36) main diagnostic character was “Kopf ausserordentlich flach, platt. Hinterleib mit einer Tomentbinde, die letzten Ringe ganz tommentiert” (head extraordinarily flat, dull. Abdomen with a dusted band, the last segments completely dusted). A flat head has never been recorded in any known Conops species and could easily be a malformation. Only Camras (1962: 217) reported this species subsequently, stating: “The head on this specimen is flat, but not flatter than other species of this group. The colour of the abdomen is characteristic. The third tergite has a wide yellow pollinose band and a narrower band on the fourth tergite.” This diagnosis fits several other species, however, and Camras did not explain how he was able to correctly interpret the original description of Kröber. The only solution at the moment is therefore to regard Conops platyfrons as nomen dubium.