New Records of some Filth Flies Species (Diptera: Milichiidae) in
Southwest Saudi Arabia



H.A. Dawah1 and M.A. Abdullah2
1National Museum and Galleries of Wales, Department of Biodiversity & Systematic Biology, Entomology Section, Cathays Park,
Cardiff CF10 3NP,
2King Khalid University, College of Science, Department of Biology, P.O. Box 9064, Abha, Saudi Arabia

                                                                                   Abstract

A Malaise trap was used during different time periods between 2002 and 2006, in the Asir province of Saudi Arabia at different localities. Nine known species of Milichiidae (some of them of medical importance) have been identified. These are: Desmometopa m-nigrum (Zetterstedt, 1848); D. varipalpis Malloch 1927; D. singaporensis Kertesz 1899; Leptometopa rufifrons Becker 1903; L. latipes (Meigen 1830); L. nilssoni Sabrosky, 1987; Milichia pubescens Becker 1907; Milichiella lacteipennis (Loew 1866); Enigmilichia dimorphica Deeming, 1981, from South-Western Saudi Arabia, the last seven species of the above are recorded for the first time. Biological information and distribution of these species are included. The fauna of Milichiidae found in this study is much more of Afrotropical than Palaearctic origin.

Key words: New records, Milichiidae, filth flies, southwest Saudi Arabia, taxonomic remarks.




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