Microphontes, Londt, 1994

Londt, Jason G. H., 1994, Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 25. A key to the genera of the subfamily Stenopogoninae with new synonymy and descriptions of six new genera, ANNALS OF THE NATAL MUSEUM 35, pp. 71-96 : 86

Microphontes gen. n.

Type species: Microphontes whittingtoni sp, n.

Description: Small, brown-yellow, silver-gold pruinose stenopogonine asilids with the following combination of characters: Head ( Fig. 43 ): blackish; clearly wider than high in anterior view. Antenna: yellow; scape same length as pedicel, segment 3 ca. twice as long as scape and pedicel combined, style terminal, small, cylindrical with spine-like seta. Mystax shiny white, confined to lower/of plane face; palpi 2-segmented, Thorax: mesonotum with 3 broad, black, longitudinal bands (central one reaching anterior margin); postmetacoxal area membranous; anepimeral bristle absent; ca, 3-4 pairs marginal scutellar macrosetae, disc bare. Wing ( Fig. 44 ): ca. 3 mm long, transparent, immaculate, uniform rnicrotrichial cover, C extends around entire wing margin, cells m] and cup open at wing margin. Legs: pulvilli and empodia well developed. Abdomen: ♂ terminalia rotated through 90--180°; ♂ epandrial lobes separate (hardly touching basally); hypandrium moderately developed with elongate, triangular mediodistallobe.

Etymology: Gr. m. mikros - small + phontes - slayer (refers to the small size of this assassin fly).

Figures

Figs 43-44. MicropllOntes whittingtolli gen. & sp. n. paratype ♀ (23 km SE Middelpos). 43. Head. 44. Wing. Scale lines = I mm.