Remotomyia brunales Londt

Torsten Dikow & Jason G. H. Londt, 2000, A review of the genera Anasillomos Londt, 1983, Oratostylum Ricardo, 1925, and Remotomyia Londt, 1983, with description of a new genus and two new species (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae), Ann. Natal Mus. 41, pp. 107-121 : 118

Remotomyia brunales Londt , 1983

(Fig. 20)

Remotomyia brunales Londt , 1983: 303.

Material examined: NAMIBIA: 1♂ holotype, 'Vogelstrausskluft 87 / Bethanien / SE 2717Ba / 24-29 Sept 1974 ' ( NMNW); 1♀, Naus 27, Bethanien, SE2516Cd, 6.x.1972 ( NMNW); 1♀, Kanaan 104, Luederitz, SE2516Cc, 6-7.x.1972 ( NMNW); 2♂ 3 ♀, 60 km S Aus, 2716AB, 1.ix.1983, Londt & Stuckenberg, broken veld at base of small hill ( NMSA); 2?, 60 km S Aus, 2716AB, 1.xi.1983, Londt & Stuckenberg, broken veld at base of small hill ( NMNW); 1♂ 1? paratypes, 'Vogelstrausskluft 87 / Bethanien / SE2717Ba / 24-29 Sept 1974 ' ( NMSA NMNW); 1♂, Huns 106, Bethanien, SE2717Ac, 29.ix-4.x.1974 ( NMNW); 1♀, Gt Karas Mtns [27°50'S 18°50'E], xi.1936, museum staff ( SAMC); 1♂ 6♀, Ortmansbaum 120, Warmbad, SE2818Bd, 18-21.x.1971 ( NMNW). SOUTH AFRICA: 1♀, Maib, Btw Springbok and Pella [29°02'S 19°09'E], x.1939, museum staff ( SAMC); 1♂, Aggenys [29°12'S 18°51'E] or Bushmanland, Btw Springbok and Pella, x.1939, museum staff ( SAMC); 2♂ 2♀, Kenhardt area, [29°21'S 21°09'E], x.1939, museum staff ( SAMC).

Remarks: This species is variable in a number of morphological features. Londt (1983) named the species after the brown-stained wings, but new material shows this character state to be inconsistent, and only the holotype and two paratypes from southern Namibia show this feature (all these specimens are greasy). Leg coloration and abdominal pruinescence are also variable. The hypandrium has a remarkably long and curved median distal projection. The following brief description of brunales supplements the original description and treats variable features.

Head: Antenna orange-brown; postpedicel clubbed; face orange-brown with lower facial margin darker, white pruinose; mystax composed of pale yellow or white macrosetae; vertex black with silver-gold pruinescence; occiput silver pruinose.

Thorax: Orange-brown or black; mesopleura silver pruinose; postpronotal lobe orange or black. Legs: orange-brown with femora normally darker than other parts (some specimens with legs entirely orange-brown). Wing: membrane transparent or brown-stained; cells r 5 and m 3 closed and stalked.

Abdomen: Black (in some specimens orange-brown); not markedly projecting beyond tip of wings; silver pruinose posterior stripe on proximal terga, distal terga more extensively pruinose; long white setae on posterior margin where pruinescence is well-developed; hypandrium with very long, curved distal projection.