Lasiocnemus londti, Dikow, Torsten, 2007

Dikow, Torsten, 2007, Taxonomic revision of the genus Lasiocnemus (Loew, 1851) (Diptera: Asilidae: Leptogastrinae), African Entomology 15 (1), pp. 57-74 : 69-70

Lasiocnemus londti sp. n., Figs 5–7 , 15 , 21 , 24

Diagnosis

The species is distinguished from congeners by the entirely pruinose scutum, the few microtrichia in the discal cell, and the white and black setae on the metathoracic femora and tibiae (white setae proximally and distally, black setae medially).

Description

Head. Black; face grey pruinose, facial swelling indistinct, mystax black, sometimes with lateral setae yellow or even entirely yellow, 4–6 macrosetae; proboscis and palpi black, setae black; occiput grey pruinose, medio-dorsally brown pruinose, setae light brown to white. Antennae, scape brown, brown setae ventrally, apruinose; pedicel light brown to red, brown setae dorsally and ventrally, grey pruinose; postpedicel light brown, grey pruinose; stylus brown, slightly longer than postpedicel; apical ‘seta-like’ sensory element brown.

Thorax. Brown to black, anepisternum and dorsal half of katepisternum and anepimeron grey pruinose, remaining parts brown pruinose, anepisternum setae and katepisternum setae white; scutum black, brown anterolaterally, entirely pruinose, predominantly grey pruinose, median longitudinal stripe originating anteriorly but not reaching posterior margin and two lateral longitudinal stripes originating subanteriorly and reaching posterior margin brown pruinose, surface covered with long black setae, often setae on grey pruinose area white; macrosetae: black, one notopleural seta, one supra-alar seta; scutellum grey pruinose, discal scutellar and scutellar setae long, brown or white. Legs, brown to dark brown; coxa brown pruinose; prothoracic and mesothoracic femora with erect black setae on all surfaces, metathoracic femora with erect black setae posteriorly, proximal two-thirds and distal one-quarter with white erect setae anteriorly, dorsally, and ventrally, band of entirely black erect setae sub-distally, clubbed and widest sub-distally; prothoracic and mesothoracic tibiae with erect black and white setae on all surfaces, metathoracic tibiae with white setae in proximal and distal thirds, black setae medially, prothoracic tibiae with yellow cleaning setae in distal twothirds ventrally, metathoracic tibiae with yellow setae at distal margin ventrally; tarsomeres with black setae, first metathoracic tarsomere with yellow setae posteroventrally; empodium half length of claw. Wings, length = 6.5–8.5 mm; cell d with very few microtrichia, especially in specimens from Kenya and Tanzania anterior half covered with microtrichia, wing pattern as in Fig. 15 ; halter brown.

Abdomen. Black; T brown pruinose anteriorly and grey pruinose posteriorly, T 2 in proximal half with long yellow setae laterally, remaining T with short yellow or brown setae, S brown and grey pruinose. Male terminalia as in Figs 5–7 . Female terminalia as in Fig. 21 .

Etymology. The specific name londti is the genitive case of the personal name Londt. The species is named after Jason Londt in recognition of his extensive work on the Afrotropical Asilidae fauna.

Type material. The male holotype is labelled ‘ KENYA: Muhaka Forest South of Mombassa 04°14’S: 39°25’E Date: 23.ix.1992 Coll. I.M. Abu- Zinid/12 (handwritten)/ Lasiocnemus obscuripennis ♂ ( Loew, 1851) Det. J.G.H. Londt (handwritten except for ‘Det. J.G.H. Londt’)/ HOLOTYPE Lasiocnemus londti sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2005 (red label)’. The specimen is directly mounted and in good condition (right metathoracic leg broken; male terminalia attached to specimens pin in genitalia vials), ( NMSA).

Two female paratypes are labelled ‘ KENYA: Kajiado Dist. Nguruman area 700 m 01°50’S: 36°56’E Coll: I. Abu-Zinid Date: 26.VI.1990 (date handwritten)/H (handwritten)/ Lasiocnemus hyalipennis Janssens ♀ Det. J.G.H. Londt (handwritten except for ‘Det. J.G.H. Londt’)/ PARATYPE Lasiocnemus londti sp. nov. det. T.Dikow 2005 (yellow label)’. The specimens are directly mounted and in good condition (one specimen with right prothoracic leg broken and female genitalia attached to specimens pin in genitalia vials), ( NMSA). A male paratype is labelled ‘ STH AFRICA: Transvaal 6km N of Vivo 2229CC 23–24.ii.1980 Londt & Schoeman Bushveld veget. & old lands/ Lasiocnemus hyalipennis Jans. det. J.G.H. Londt, 1980 (handwritten except for ‘det. J.G.H. Londt, 19’)/ PARATYPE Lasiocnemus londti sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2005 (yellow label)’. The specimen is double-mounted (minuten in piece of foam) and in excellent condition, ( NMSA). A male paratype is labelled ‘ RSA: KZ-Natal #08 St. Lucia Game Park 28°21’S: 32°26’E 45 m Date: 12.iii.1995 Coll: J.G.H. Londt open mixed grassland/ PARATYPE Lasiocnemus londti sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2005 (yellow label)’. The specimen is directly mounted and in good condition (head missing), ( NMSA). A female paratype is labelled ‘S. AFRICA: Natal #96 Itala Game Reserve Graig Adam Dam 27°28’S: 31°25’E i.1991 R.M. Miller Malaise trap/ PARATYPE Lasiocnemus londti sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2005 (yellow label)’. The specimen is directly mounted and in very good condition, ( NMSA). A female paratype is labelled ‘ KENYA: Baringo #63 Lake Bogoria Nat. Res. 00°15’N: 36°05’E 1100 m West bank 21.xi.1992 A Whittington & J Londt Open thornveld and sand/ PARATYPE Lasiocnemus londti sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2005 (yellow label)’. The specimen is directly mounted and in very good condition, ( NMSA).

Additional material examined. KENYA: 1♀ Laikipia, Mpala Research Centre, 00°14’N 36°54’E, 23.i.2001; 1♀ Lake Bogoria Nature Reserve, 00°15’N 36°05’E, 21.xi.1992, 1100 m (paratype); 1♂ Muhaka Forest, 0 4° 1 4’S 3 9° 2 5’ E, 2 3. ix.1 9 9 2 (holotype); 2♀ Nguruman area, 01°50’S 36°56’E, 26.vi. 1990, 700 m (paratypes); 1♂ Sokoke Forest, 03°29’S 39°50’E, 16.v.1963; SOMALIA: 1♀ Awdiinle, 03°11’N 43°24’E, 7.i.1986; SOUTH AFRICA: 1♀ Itala Game Reserve, Graig Adam Dam, 27°28’S 31°25’E, –. i.1991 (paratype); 1♀ Mfongosi, 28°42’S 30°48’E, –. iv.1916; 1♀ Mfongosi, –. xii.1916; 1♀ Mkuzi, 27°59’S 32°23’E, 23.i.2005; 1♂ St. Lucia Game Park, 28°21’S 32°26’E, 12.iii. 1995, 45 m (paratype); 1♂ Vivo, 6 km N, 23°00’S 029°17’E, 23–24.ii.1980 (paratype); TANZANIA: 1♂ Mkomazi Game Reserve, Kikolo Plot, 04°07’S 38°01’E, 16.iv.–2.v.1996; 2♂ Mkomazi Game Reserve, Kisima Plot, 04°06’S 38°06’E, 16.iv.–2.v.1996. Depositories: BMNH, LAMC, NMSA, SAMC.

Remarks. This species is disjunctly distributed in Eastern Africa ( Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania) and South Africa. Although there are some morphological differences among specimens, e.g. length of setae on metathoracic tibiae and coloration of pruinosity on scutum, I regard all specimens as belonging to a single species.

Type locality, distribution and biodiversity hotspots ( Fig. 24 ): Kenya, Muhaka Forest, 04°14’S 39°25’E. Kenya, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania. Coastal Forests of Eastern Africa, Eastern Afromontane, Maputaland–Pondoland–Albany.

Figures

Fig. 24. Map of sub-Saharan Africa with biodiversity hotspots, shaded in grey, showing distribution of Lasiocnemus fascipennis (●), La. hyalipennis (■), La. londti (▲), and the unidentified female specimen deposited in the SAMC (★). Type localities with open symbols.

Figs 5 – 7. Male terminalia of Lasiocnemus londti. 5, Lateral view; 6, dorsal view; 7, ventral view. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

Figs 11 – 16. Wings of species of Lasiocnemus. 11, La. fascipennis; 12, La. griseicinctipes; 13, La. hermanni; 14, La. hyalipennis; 15, La. londti; 16, La. lugens. Scale bars = 4.0 mm.

Figs 17 – 22. Female spermathecae of species of Lasiocnemus in lateral view. 17, La. fascipennis; 18, La. griseicinctipes; 19, La. hermanni; 20, La. hyalipennis; 21, La. londti; 22, La. lugens. Note: second lateral spermathecal duct and reservoir, in lateral view situated ventral to median reservoir, omitted. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.