Euscelidia notialis, Dikow, 2003

Dikow, Torsten, 2003, Revision of the genus Euscelidia Westwood, 1850 (Diptera: Asilidae: Leptogastrinae), African Invertebrates 44 (2), pp. 1-131 : 36-37

Euscelidia notialis sp. n. ( E. brunnea species-group)

Figs 20F–K , 22

Etymology: Latin adjective notialis = southern; refers to the apparent distribution in South Africa.

Diagnosis: The species is distinguished from congeners by the brown and grey pruinose sct, the densely arranged microtrichia on the wings, and features of the ơ terminalia (d aed shea open and with long lat pr aed) ( Figs 20F–K ).

Description: Head: Black; fc yellow pruinose, fc gib indistinct, mystax white (sometimes yellow), many macrosetae; prob and plp dark brown, setae white; oc tr silver pruinose dorsally; occ silver pruinose, black setae medially and white setae laterally; Antennae - scp brown, white setae ventrally, white pruinose; ped brown, black setae ventrally and dorsally, white pruinose; pped brown, white pruinose; apsel hyaline.

Thorax: Black; ppro peg large, silver pruinose; sct predominantly brown pruinose, margins grey pruinose, sometimes 2 narrow median stripes, not reaching posterior margin, and 2 lateral stripes, not reaching anterior and posterior margins, apruinose, few white and yellow setae on margins; macrosetae: black, 1 npl s, 1 spal s; sctl silver pruinose, ds sctl s and sctl s short, white; Legs - yellow to brown; pro and meso fem yellow, meta fem yellow proximally, brown distad, clubbed, club with short white setae; pro and meso tib yellow, pale yellow stripe anteriorly, meta tib yellow proximally, brown distad, pale yellow stripe not reaching tip anteriorly; first tar yellow, brown distad, remaining tar brown, black setae; emp minute; Wings - densely covered with microtrichia, cell br with few microtrichia; ptero distinct, brown; cell d terminating in 2 veins; hlt light brown.

Abdomen: Black; T predominantly brown pruinose, anterior, lateral, and posterior margins grey pruinose, T1 with long brown setae, T 2 in proximal third with few white setae laterally, remaining T with short yellow and brown setae, S grey pruinose; ơ terminalia Figs 20F–K - sur pointed distally, lobe ventrally; hypd bent upwards, divided into 2 long lobes; d aed shea open, gonp proximally, lat pr long; lat apod simple.

Type material - The ơ holotype is labelled ‘ Oribi Gorge Reserve , Umzimkulwana Valley, Natal, South Africa. B. & P. Stuckenberg 21–28 November 1960 / 77 / HOLOTYPE Euscelidia notialis sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (red label)’. The specimen is double mounted (minuten in block of foam), is in relatively good condition (abdomen broken, but attached to foam block; ơ terminalia attached to specimens pin in micro vial), and is deposited in the NMSA.

2^^ paratypes have same labels as holotype except ‘ PARATYPE Euscelidia notialis sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (yellow label)’. The specimens are double mounted (minuten in block of foam), are in very good condition, and are deposited in the NMSA . 2^^ 1ơ paratypes are labelled ‘ Gillitts Pinetown district Natal, S. Africa B. & P. Stuckenberg 28.XII.1961 (date on backside) / From grassland / PARATYPE Euscelidia notialis sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (yellow label)’. The specimens are double mounted (minuten in block of foam), ^^ are in very good condition and ơ is in relatively good condition (antennae, tarsi, and meta legs broken; terminalia attached to specimens pin in micro vial), and are deposited in the NMSA . 1^ paratype is labelled ‘ Gillitts Pinetown district Natal, S. Africa B. & P. Stuckenberg 11.I.62 (date handwritten) / PARATYPE Euscelidia notialis sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (yellow label)’. The specimen is double mounted (minuten in block of foam), is in very good condition, and is deposited in the NMSA . 1ơ 1? paratype are labelled ‘ Port St. Johns South Africa B. & P. Stuckenberg 20–25 Nov. 1961 / Euscelidia zumpti Janssens det. H. Oldroyd 1973 (handwritten except for ‘det. H. Oldroyd 19’; only ơ specimen with this label) / PARATYPE Euscelidia notialis sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (yellow label)’. The specimens are double mounted (minuten in block of foam), are in good to very good condition (1? pped, right meso leg, and abdomen broken; ơ terminalia attached to specimens pin in micro vial), and are deposited in the NMSA . 1ơ paratype is labelled ‘P.M.B. [Pietermaritzburg] NATAL 25.XII.82 SHORT GRASS ABOVE WYLIE PARK (handwritten) / PARATYPE Euscelidia notialis sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (yellow label)’. The specimen is double mounted (attached to triangular piece of cardboard), is in good condition (right pped and meta legs broken (left meta leg attached to piece of cardboard), ơ terminalia attached to specimens pin in micro vial), and is deposited in the NMSA . 1ơ paratype is labelled ‘ SOUTH AFRICA 2429 AC Transvaal 10 km SE Potgietersrus on rd to Zebediela 24– 7.I 1978 [24–27.i.1978] J.G.H. Londt Bushveld ex malaise / PARATYPE Euscelidia notialis sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (yellow label)’. The specimen is double mounted (minuten in block of foam), is in very good condition (ơ terminalia attached to specimens pin in micro vial), and is deposited in the NMSA .

Type locality and distribution ( Fig. 22 ): South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal , Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve , 30 42'S 30 15'E. South Africa .

Material examined: SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape Prov: 2^^ 3ơơ 1? Pirie Dam , 32 46'S 27 12'E, ii.1944 ; 12^^ 2ơơ Katberg , 32 31'S 26 37'E, 1–13.xi., xii.1932 , 1–15+15–30.i., 1–10.ii.1933; 1^ 1ơ Stutterheim , 32 33'S 27 24'E, 21.i.1984 ; 1 ơ Port St. Johns , 6-8.iii.1949 ; KwaZulu-Natal: 1ơ Ntambanana area , 28 35'S 31 45'E, 8.i.1986 . Depository : BMNH, CUIC, NMSA .

Figures

Fig. 20. ơ terminalia. A–E. Euscelidia atrata sp. n. A. Dorsal. B. Ventral. C. Lateral. D. Hypandrium posterior. E. Aedeagus lateral. F–K. E. notialis sp. n. F. Hypandrium posterior. G. Aedeagus lateral. H. Dorsal. I. Ventral. K. Lateral. Scale lines = 1 mm.

Fig. 22. Distribution. Euscelidia cana sp. n., pentagon; E. natalensis sp. n., circles; E. notialis sp. n., squares; E. vallis sp. n., triangles; E. zumpti, star.