PALAEARCTIC SPECIES OF THE GENUS SCIAPUS ZELLER (DIPTERA: DOLICHOPODIDAE)

Systematic and faunistic information on the Palaearctic species of the predatory genus Sciapus Zeller, 1842 is reviewed. New records for known species are given. Ten new species are described: Sciapus longitarsis from Israel, Golan Heights and West Bank; S. freidbergi from Israel; S. adana from Turkey; S. occidasiaticus from Israel and West Bank; S. iranicus from Iran; S. canariensis from Spain (Canary Islands); S. litoralis from Greece and Turkey; S. corsicanus from France (Corsica); S. pseudobellus from Italy; S. vladimiri from Russia (Yakutia). Sciapus cornuflexus Parent, 1938 is placed in synonymy with S. albifrons (Meigen, 1830). The taxonomic status and characters of some species of the genus are discussed. A check list of Palaearctic species of Sciapus is compiled, as well as a revised key to 66 species based mainly on male secondary sexual characters, and 5 species groups are defined.