Choerades bella (Loew, 1858)

Londt, Jason G. H. & Dikow, Torsten, 2019, A review of Southern African Choerades Walker, 1851 with the description of a new species (Diptera, Asilidae, Laphriinae), African Invertebrates 60 (1), pp. 31-65 : 37-42

Choerades bella (Loew, 1858) Figs 4, 10, 14-19, 27

Laphria bella Loew, 1858: 356 [1860c: 190]; Oldroyd 1970: 226 (key).

Choerades bella : Londt 1977: 46 (fig. 2 ♂ terminalia).

Redescription.

Based on all material studied. Entire male and female specimens are shown in Figs 14-19.

Head: Black, silver pubescent, black and pale yellow setose. Antenna black, scape and pedicel black setose. Face black, fine silver pubescent. Mystax predominantly black (a few yellow setae may be present in dorsal region) with macrosetae confined to elevated parts of facial protuberance. Lateral parts of face with groups of glistening gold and silvery scale-like setae. Frons and vertex fine dull silver pubescent, asetose. Ocellar tubercle prominent, weakly setose except for a pair of strong black ocellar macrosetae. Occiput silver pubescent, strongly setose (black dorsally, yellow ventrally). Palps black and pale yellow setose.

Thorax: Black, silver pubescent, black, pale yellow and white setose. Cervical sclerite entirely black setose. Mesonotum apubescent except for silver pubescent postpronotal lobes, fine black and longish prostrate yellow-white setae posteriorly (distribution of yellow setae variable). Lateral macrosetae black (2 notopleurals, 4 supra-alars, 2 postalars). Scutellum black, apubescent, disc almost entirely covered with longish, prostrate, white-yellow setae, c. 10 apical scutellar macrosetae (mostly yellow, some black). Pleura silver pubescent, mostly fine black setose (few pale yellow setae). 1-3 black anepisternal macrosetae. Katatergal setae well-developed, black. Anatergites weakly gold pubescent, asetose.

Legs: Black and orange (somewhat variable), coxae silver pubescent, other segments apubescent. Trochanters pale yellow setose, femora and tibiae black and yellow setose, tarsi black setose.

Wings (Fig. 4): Length (humeral crossvein to tip) x breadth (maximum): ♂ 9.1 × 3.0 - 12.3 × 4.3 mm (mean - 5 specimens - 10.4 × 3.5 mm), ♀ 8.4 × 2.8 - 12.3 × 4.2 mm (mean - 5 specimens - 10.3 × 3.4 mm), males and females vary fairly considerably in size but on average of similar size. Veins dark red-brown to black, membrane transparent, distal two-thirds pale brown microtrichose, basal cells almost devoid of microtrichia except distally.

Abdomen: Black, mostly dark red-brown to black setose (T1 with lateral tufts of pale yellow setae), tergites apubescent, sternites fine gold pubescent.

Terminalia: ♂ terminalia as in Fig. 10 (previously published as fig. 2 by Londt (1977)). Hypopygium rotated through 180°.

Material examined.

SOUTH AFRICA: 1♀ 'South Africa, Tvl / Entabeni For. Res. [c. 22°59'09"S, 30°16'08"E 1370m] / 33.00S 30.16E [?] / 7-11.i.1987 / V.M. Uys’, NMSA-DIP-81739 (NMSA); 2♂ 2♀ 'S. Africa: Transvaal / Entabeni Forest Stn. / Zoutpansberg Range / Jan. 1975 Stuckenberg / indigenous forest’, 'Verakop / Forest [1♂ 1♀]', NMSA-DIP-08909 [1♂] NMSA-DIP-81742-4 (NMSA)*; 1♂ 'South Africa, TVL., / Entabeni Forest Res. / Soutpansberg, 23.00S / 30.16E. 18-19.i.1982 / C.D. Eardley’, 'National Coll. / of Insects / Pretoria. S. Afr.', SANC-DIPT-02270 (SANC); 3♀ 'Malta [Forest c. 23°54'35"S, 29°58'20"E 1420m], Ptbg. [Pietersburg = Polokwane] / Jan. 1928 / G. v. Son’, 'Collection / Transvaal / Museum’, NMSA - 08901 [1♀] NMSA-DIP-81745-6 (NMSA)*; 1♂ 'Malta, Ptbg. / 3/II.1927 / G. v. Son’, 'Coll. / Tr / Mus’, NMSA - 08905 (NMSA)*; 2♀ 'South Africa: Tvl / Wolkberg, S. Tsaneen / 24°01'S, 30°04'S [error E] / 6-14.xii.1986 / RH Watmough’, 'National Coll. / of Insects / Pretoria. S. Afr.' (SANC); 1♀ 'Mariepskop [c. 24°33'12"S, 30°52'13"E 1870m], E.Tvl. / 28.xi.1968 / H.K. Munro’, 'National Coll. / of Insects / Pretoria, S. Afr.', 'Prey Identification / Ord: Diptera / Fam: Bibionidae / Det. J.G.H. Londt’, 'Prey Catalogue / No. 001398', NMSA-DIP-08910 (NMSA); 1♂, Mac Mac Pools [c. 25°00'52"S, 30°49'53"E 1345m], 20.xi.1975, J.G.H. Londt (NMSA)*; 1♂ 'Lydenburg [c. 25°05'39"S, 30°27'20"E 140m] / Distr. 1896 / P.A. Krantz.', NMSA-DIP-08897 (NMSA)*; 1*? 'Transvaal / Mac Mac Pools [c. 25°00'53"S, 30°49'52"E] / 20.XI.1975 J.G.H. Londt’ NMSA-DIP-77611 (NMSA); 1♀ 'S Africa: Natal #7 / Nkandla Forest / 28°38'S, 29°30'E 900m / Date: 9.i.1982 / R. Miller & P. Stabbins’, NMSA-DIP-08879 NMSA-DIP-81751 (NMSA); 1♂ 1♀ 'Barberton [c. 25°47'10"S, 31°03'11"E 840m] / E-Transvaal / 14.10.1978 / H. Geertsema’, ' SANC DIPT02269 [♀ - no number on ♂]' (SANC); 1♂ 'South Africa KwaZulu-Natal / forest N Klipplaatdrift Farm/ 17 km N Utrecht 1700 m / 27°27.61'S, 30°24'E /leg. T. Dikow 30.XI.1999' USNMENT00870303 (USNM); 1♀ 'South Africa KZ-Natal / Ongoye (Ngoye) Forest / 28°50'S, 31°44'E, 300m asl / Eastern side of forest. / 21.x.2008. G.B.P. Davies’, 'National Coll. / of Insects / Pretoria. S. Afr.' (SANC); 2♀ 'S Africa: Natal / Ngoye forest [c. 28°50'34"S, 31°42'09"E 395m] / Low shrubs / 9-10.Jan.1980 / R. Oberprieler’, NMSA-DIP-08887 NMSA-DIP-81752 (NMSA); 2♀ 'South Africa KwaZulu-Natal / Ongoye (Ngoye) Forest, near / Eshowe, 2831DC; main track / thru’ forest; on low saplings, / 29.ix.2006; G.B.P. Davies’ [1♀ with small alate Isopteran] NMSA-DIP-81754-5 (NMSA); 1♀ 'South Africa: Natal / Entumeni Nature Res. [c. 28°53'13"S, 31°22'17"E 670 m] / 28°32'35"S, 31°22'54"E [sic] / J. Londt 26.i.1988 / Coast Scarp Forest’, NMSA-DIP-08883 (NMSA); 1♀ 'Upper Tongaat [c. 29°26'00"S, 31°01'00"E 440m] / Natal / Nov. 1919 / C,N. Barker / 2479', SAM-DIP-A007970 (SAMC); 1♀ 'South Africa: Natal / Ferncliffe Forest Res / 29°33'00"S, 30°20'30"E / 975m J.G.H. Londt / Mistbelt Mixed Forest / Date: 23.xi.1987', NMSA-DIP-08890 (NMSA); 1♂ 'S Africa: Natal #5G / Ferncliffe N. R. / 29°33'S, 30°20'E m [c. 975m] / Date: 12/12/1993 / Coll: K.R. Cradock’, NMSA-DIP-08894 (NMSA); 1♀ 'South Africa: Natal / Pietermaritzburg / 2930Cb 28.xi.1978 / J.G.H. Londt / Town Bush [c. 29°33'00"S, 30°20'30"E 975m]', NMSA-DIP-08911 (NMSA); 1♂ 1♀ 'Town Bush / Pietermaritzburg / South Africa / B. & P. Stuckenberg / xi.1959', NMSA - 08896 [♂] NMSA-DIP-81761 (NMSA)*; 1♀ 'Captured / with prey’, 'South Africa: Natal / Pietermaritzburg / 2930Cb 14.xii.1978 / J.G.H. Londt / Town Bush’, 'Prey Identification / Order: Hymenoptera / Family: Formicidae / Det. J. Londt’, 'Prey Catalogue / No. 0147', NMSA-DIP-08886 (NMSA); 1♀ 'South Africa: Natal / Pietermaritzburg / Townbush Valley / RM Miller+malaise / November 1976', NMSA-DIP-08913 (NMSA)*; 1♀ 'South Africa: Natal / Pietermaritzburg / 2930Cb 12.xi.1988 / J.G.H. Londt / Town Bush’ NMSA-DIP-77610 (NMSA); 1♀ 'South Africa KwaZulu-Natal / Pietermaritzburg / Ferncliff Nature Reserve [c. 29°33'14"S, 030°19'51"E] / leg. J. Londt 30.x.1999' USNMENT00870304 (USNM); 1♀ 'South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal / Queen Elizabeth Park Res. / 29°34.157'S, 030°19.299'E / 856m 1-5.xii.2003 / JGH Londt & M Mostovski / Forest patch Malaise trap’ NMSA-DIP-81764 (NMSA); 1♂ (in ethanol) 'South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal: / Natal National Botanical Gardens, / Pietermaritzburg, 29°36'10"S, 030°20'45"E, 741 m / 11.i.2004 J. Londt, T. Dikow’ USNMENT00914044 (USNM); 1♀ 'S Africa: KZ-Natal #143 / Umhlanga Bush Nat. Res. / 29°43'S, 31°05'E 0m / Date: 4.xii.1995 / Coll: D.A. Barraclough’, NMSA-DIP-08893 (NMSA); 1♀ 'S Africa KwaZulu-Natal / Marutswa Forest Reserve / 29°48'29"S, 29°47'04"E / J & A Londt 23.i.2015 / 1455m Podocarpus forest’, NMSA-DIP-81781 (NMSA); 1♀ 'Bluff [c. 29°55'19"S, 31°00'18"E 30m] / Durban / 8-10-16 / C.N. Barker’, SAM-DIP-A007965 (SAMC); 1♀ 'Durban / Natal / 20-12-19 / C.N. Barker / Bluff / 2499', SAM-DIP-A007971 (SAMC); 1♀ 'S Africa: Natal #88 / Weza State Forest / 30°32'S, 29°42'E 1220m / Date: 21-22.xi.1991 / Coll: D.A. Barraclough / Indig. Forest margin’, NMSA-DIP-08885 (NMSA); 1♂ 'South Africa / KwaZulu-Natal / Mvutshini Valley, Ramsgate / 30°53'30"S, 30°20'43"E / WGS84 Datum 31 m’, '25-Nov-2003 / Armstrong AJ / EKZN Record ID: 170409 / forest / under bark of dead tree’, NMSA-DIP-08908 (NMSA); 1♀ 'South Africa: Natal / Umtamvuna Nat. Res. / 3030cc 14.i.1981 / J.G.H. Londt forest’ NMSA-DIP-77612 (NMSA); 1♀ 'S Africa: KZ-Natal #140 / Umtamvuna Nat. Reserve / 31°00'S, 30°09'E 200m / Date: 23.xi.1995 / Coll: D.A. Barraclough / Shaded indigenous forest’, NMSA-DIP-08903 (NMSA); 3♂ 'S Africa. Transkei / Mbotji Forest [c. 31°27'42"S, 29°43'31"E 60m] / 15-16 Dec. 1979 / L. Schoeman’, NMSA-DIP-81769-81770, NMSA-DIP-77613 (NMSA); 1♀ 'Prt. St. John [Port St. Johns c. 31°37'44"S, 29°32'13"E 100m] / x.1916 / H.H. Swinny’, NMSA-DIP-08892 NMSA-DIP-81771 (NMSA)*; 1♀ 'Port St Johns / 3129DA / 16.i.1970', 'Collectors / B. & P. Stuckenberg’, NMSA-DIP-08912 (NMSA)*; 1♀ 'Port St. Johns Dist. / Coastal Forest / E. Cape Prov / 16-17 Oct. 1959 / B. & P. Stuckenberg’, NMSA-DIP-08891 (NMSA)*; 1♀ 'Port St Johns / Dec. 1961 / F and S Gess’, SAM-DIP-A007969 (SAMC); 1♀ 'Transkei #83 / Dweza Nature Reserve / 32°16'S, 28°51'E 50m / Date: 17-20.xi.1991 / Coll: D.A. Barraclough / Indig. Forest & margin’, NMSA-DIP-08877 (NMSA); 3♀ 'South Africa: Cape Prov / Hogsback [c. 32°35'43"S, 26°55'56"E 1235m] 3226DB / 13-16.xii.1985 / J. & B. Londt Forest / & forest margins’, 'Prey Catalogue / No. 0496 [small coleopteran]', NMSA-DIP-08878 [1♀] NMSA-DIP-81775 & 7 (NMSA); 1♀ 'East London [c. 33°01'45"S, 27°51'17"E 85m] / 11.11.24 / H.K. Munro’, NMSA-DIP-08902 (NMSA)*; 1♂ ‘863’, 'Ex coll / Transv. Mus.', 'bicranotaphria [?] / bella Lw. ♂', NMSA-DIP-81779 (NMSA).

Additional material not studied.

The senior author has seen photographs of the following additional specimens. SOUTH AFRICA: 1♂ 'Pienaars Riv [c. 25°07'26"S, 27°38'37"E 1040m] / [illegible]', 'S. Africa / Distant Coll. / 1911-383', ‘NHMUK012810865’ (BMNH); 1♀ 'Karkloof [c. 29°23'58"S, 30°16'41"E 1035m] / Natal / Feb. 1897 / G.A.K. Marshall / 1903-17', 'Karkloof / Natal 2.97', ‘NHMUK012810866’ (BMNH); 1♀ 'S. Africa / R.E. Turner / Brit. Mus. / 1924-6', 'Port St. John [Port St. Johns c. 31°37'44"S, 29°32'13"E 100m] / Pondoland / Nov. 1923', ‘NHMUK012810862’ (BMNH); 1♀ 1♂ 'Port St. John / Pondoland / Dec. 1923', 'S. Africa / R.E. Turner / Brit. Mus. / 1924-54', 'NHMUK012810863, 012810867' (BMNH); 1♀ 'Port St. John / Pondoland / Oct. 1923', 'S. Africa / R.E. Turner / Brit. Mus. / 1923-547', ‘NHMUK012810864’ (BMNH).

Distribution, phenology and biology.

A relatively well-collected South African endemic with an extensive distribution extending from the northern parts of Limpopo Province, through much of KwaZulu-Natal and terminating in the Eastern Cape Province (Fig. 27). Data indicate that adults have a relatively long period of activity ranging from September through to February, with a peak in December (Table 1). The species inhabits indigenous forests with adults frequently found sunning themselves on vegetation. C. bella is primarily distributed within the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany biodiversity hotspot, but also occurs outside of it. The three available prey records ( Diptera : Bibionidae , Coleoptera : small unidentified beetle, Hymenoptera : alate Formicidae ) suggest a wide range of flying insects.