Daspletis setithoracicus ( Ricardo, 1925 ) Londt, 1983

Londt, Jason G. H., 1983, The Genus Daspletis Loew, 1858 And The Description Of Two New Genera, Anasillomos And Remotomyia (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae), Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa 46 (2), pp. 283-308 : 294-295

Daspletis setithoracicus ( Ricardo, 1925) comb. nov. Figs 19-21

Neodysmachus setithoracicus Ricardo, 1925: 264-265

Redescription: Based on the type series and other material examined.

Head: Antenna orange-yellowg scape and pedicel with white bristles and setae, shape similar to ìzímzs. Face brown-yellow, profile similar to kiftus. Mystax composed of long white bristles and setae. Vertex similar to kirius with lots of long white setae. Ocellarium with numerous shiny white setae (no obvious bristles). Occiput similar to /zirtus but dorso-medial bristles straight and shortish, not long and sinuous. Proboscis red-brown with white setae ventrally. Palp yellowish with white setae.

Thorax: Pleura brown, strongly gold-silver pruinose, moderately well covered in white setae. Katatergite with ca. 30 long, thin white setae. Antepronotum with yellow-white thin bristles and white setae. Anatergite as in hirtus. Mesonotum similar to hirius and with similar setation. Dorsocentrals all yellow, moderately well developed; cluster of yellowish setae posteriorly between dorsocentrals similar to hirtus. 6-8 Scutellar bristles; disc with fine white-yellow setae only. Halters yellowa Legs: brown-yellow and only slightly darker on upper sides of femora; bristles and setae longish yellow. Claws black with orange bases; pulvillae poorly developed, less than half as long as claws. Wings: Lectotype ♂ 8,2 X 2,7 mm; others range 7,9 X 2,4 - 9,5 X 3,1 mm; membrane transparent, colourless; venation orange-brown. Cell r5 widely open, m3. closed and stalked, cup closed on wing margin.

Abdomen: Yellow terga with yellow lateral margins; sterna yellow; all segments with moderately long white setae, only tg 1 with bristles (yellow). ♂ genitalia as in Figs 19-21 ; fused gonocoxites laterally flattened. ♀ with setae of segments 5-7 anteriorly directed.

Variation: ♀ specimens less setose and with bristles of mystax etc. yellower than ♂.

MATERIAL Examined. SOUTH AFRICA: Cape Province: 2 ♂ 3 ♀ (lectotype ♂ and paralectotypes), Willowmore , 25. xii. 1922 (2 ♂), xi. 1 9 22 (3 ♀), Dr Brauns ( BMNH) : 15 ♂ 7 ♀, Willowmore , various dates - 1. xii. 19 07, xii. 1909, 2 0. xii. 19 0 9, 15.xii. 1912, i. 1914, xi1916, 25. xii. 1 9 17, i. 1918, xi. 1918, 2 0. xii. 1 9 19, 25. xii. 1919, 1.i.1920, 2 0. xi. 192 0, 18..1922, 18.v. 1922, 3.i.1926, xi. 1 9 26, Dr Brauns ( NM); 2 ♂ 2 ♀, Meiringspoort , 3322 BC, 11-12. xii. 1979, Londt & Stuckenberg, Rocky hillside & stream edge ( NM) ; 1 ♀, Diepkloof ca. 20 km E. de Rust , 3322 BD, 12.xii. 1979, J. Londt & B. Stuckenberg, Dry rocky hillside & stream ( NM). Orange Free State: 1♂, Bloemfontein , 31.x.1920, H. E. Irving ( NM) .

Remarks: A species active for most of the summer ( Table 1 ).

Figures

Figs 19- 21. Daspåetis retithoracicus (Ricardo) lectotype male genitalia. 1 g. Lateral. 20. Ventral. 2 1. Dorsal.