Szekessy Vilmos (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 57. (Budapest 1965)

Soós, Á.: On some new and known species of Sobarocephala Czerny, 1903 (Diptera: Clusiidae)

The hitherto probably unknown males agree in every essential feature with the females of the nominate form, except for one specimen from El Salvador having metapleurae not black but only slightly darker than the other parts of the pleurae. Distribution: Peru, Brazil, Panama, Costa Rica. Research material: a. nominate form: „Mindi Dairy Canal Zone, 8 — 22-1952; FS BLANTON Collector" !<-? (MB); „El Cermeno, Pan. V-39; Jas. Zetek No 4435; Lot No 39-12208" lçf (MW); „No 592-45, Date 24-3-55. Loc. Rosario Cuzertlan Col. MSV; El Salvador (PA BERRY)" 1 tf (MW) ; „Higuito San Mateo CR; PABLO SCHILD Coll." 1 ? (MW); Costa Rica Surrubres" 2 9 $ (MB); „El Cermeno Pan. XII. 3.1940; J. ZETEK NO 4701; Lot NO 40-25096" 1 9 (MW) ; „El Cermeno Pan. XII. 17. 40; JAS ZETEK NO 4709; Lot No 41- 1707", 1 9 (MB). - var. reducta var. nov. Mojinga Swamp FT SHERMAN CZ VII1-1952; FS BLANTON Collector", 1 9 (MW); „Magé R. Janeiro Jan. 1940; RC SHANNON Collector" 1 9 (MB). 3. Sobarocephala convergens MALLOCH, 1922 Invariably recognizable by its attenuating irons and unicolorous yellow body, the species ranges in the eastern United States. It was recorded from Illinois, Indiana, Virginia, Missouri, New Hampshire, Washington DC, Georgia, and Plummer Island. It was ascertained now also for Pennsylvania and Florida. There were 6 females in my research material. I found a considerable amount of variation in the extense of the black colour of the abdomen, but less so in that of the face, the frons, and the bristles. However, I propose not to discuss these in details now. Distribution: Eastern U. S. Research material: „Carlisle, Pa, Aug. 4, 1956 (FC SVAIGHEAD)" 1 9 (MW) ; „Asceola Cu Fla 1.24.30 RS. THOMAS; Florida Fruit Fly Trap Survey" 1 9 (MW); „Overbrook Pa VII. 19.14" 1 9 (MW) ; „Overbrook Pa VI. 1.13. GM GREENE Collector" 1 9 (MB) ; „Roxborough Pa. V. 23. 09" 1 9 (MB); „Alexandria Va, VH-6-52; WW WIRTH Collector" 1 9 (MW). 4. Sobarocephala humeralis MELANDER & ARGO, 1924 The species was described by MELANDER & ARGO (1924, p. 40 — 41) on the basis of the female specimens from Costa Rica, emphasizing at the same time ils extreme variability and also describing, aside of the typical form, two specimens of different colouration. However, they had finally remarked that structurally the three specimens agree". I found no other literature datum referring to the species. In my research material, I found 14 specimens which, when identified by the use of MELANDER & ARGO'S key, led me to the species humeralis MEL. & ARGO. All specimens agree in the strikingly attenuating frons toward the vertex, the not monochromous mesonotum, and the humeral callus or the area behind it; together with the scutellum, being invariably white (clear white, dirty white, or ivory). The 14 specimens available were obviously not sufficient to establish, even approximately, the intraspecific variability of this highly varying taxon, but, for the sake of establishing basis for further studies, I still feel that I have to submit shortly the result of the detailed analysis of these specimens. With respect also to MELANDER & ARGO'S findings, I believe that the specimens represent three species and six varieties. The three species are humeralis MEL. & ARGO, albomaculata sp. nov., and panamaensis sp. n. The two new species seem, contrarily to humeralis, decidedly more constant, while the humeralis specimens might, on the basis of external morphological characters and zoogeogra-