Revision of the Bengalia spinifemorata species-group (Diptera, Calliphoridae)

Abstract

The Afrotropical Bengalia spinifemorata species-group is revised and their male genitalia illustrated by means of digital colour photography. Six species are recognized and keyed, and their geographical distribution reconsidered, i.e., Bengalia akamanga (Lehrer, 2005), comb. nov. (Malawi); B. racovitzai (Lehrer, 2005) (Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya); B. seniorwhitei (Lehrer, 2005) (Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda); B. smarti (Lehrer, 2005), comb. nov. (Democratic Republic of Congo, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe); B. spinifemorata Villeneuve, 1913 (Democratic Republic of Congo) and B. wangariae (Lehrer, 2005), comb. nov. (Democratic Republic of Congo). Maraviola congoliana Lehrer, 2005, M. samburella Lehrer, 2005, M. amlaka Lehrer & Freidberg, 2008, M. danakiliana Lehrer & Freidberg, 2008, and M. akufulana Lehrer, 2011 are recognized as synonyms of Bengalia seniorwhitei, syn. nov. The genus group names Sindhigalia Lehrer, 2006 and Anshuniana Lehrer & Wei, 2010 are reduced to synonyms of Bengalia Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830, syn. nov. The distiphallus is described in detail and new morphological terms introduced. Ten synapomorphies defining the B. spinifemorata species-group are listed. A re-assignment of the Oriental species B. fani Feng & Wei, 1998 to the Afrotropical B. spinifemorata species-group to replace its current position in the B. peuhi species-group is rejected since B. fani shares none of the ten synapomorphies of the former group