Gonioscelis zulu, Londt, 2004

Londt, Jason G. H., 2004, A review of the afrotropical genus Gonioscelis Schiner, 1866 (Diptera: Asilidae), with descriptions of new species, African Invertebrates 45, pp. 21-124 : 101-102

Gonioscelis zulu sp. n.

Figs 140–142 , 153

Etymology: Named after the Zulu people as this species inhabits Zululand (northern KwaZulu-Natal).

Description: Based primarily on holotype ơ (NMSA).

Head: Antenna dark red-brown, setae short yellow. Facial swelling poorly developed, mystax yellow-white, setae in dorsal area not as well developed as those on gibbosity. Frons and vertex thinly gold pruinose. Ocellar tubercle apruinose with yellow oc. Occiput gold-silver pruinose, setae yellow-white. Proboscis and palpus dark red-brown, yellowwhite setose.

Thorax: Dark red-brown to black, silver gold pruinose. Postpronotal lobes and immediately adjacent area of mesonotum brown-orange, contrasting with rest of mesonotum, with tiny yellow setae. Mesonotal setae yellow-white: ac not evident; approx. 6 pairs dc, short, not extending anterior of transverse suture; 4 npl; 3–5 sa; 5 pa. Scutellum dark red-brown with orange-brown margin, silver-gold pruinose, with 6 yellow-white mrg sct. Wing length 9.2 mm, membrane yellow proximally light brown with paler areas distally. Legs: Entirely orange with no dark markings, setae mostly black, a few yellow-white especially on ventral surfaces of tibiae. Prothoracic coxa black, gold-silver pruinose, white setose; femoral spur bluntly pointed (angle approx. 70°).

Abdomen: Tergites dark red-brown anteriorly, brown-orange posteriorly, becoming increasingly orange towards distal segments that are entirely orange, thinly gold pruinose, setae short pale yellow-white. Sternites uniformly brown-orange, apruinose except for tiny rectangular areas posteromedially, setae short yellow-white.

Terminalia ( Figs 140–142 ): Long ep (epandrial lobes project well beyond level attained by proctiger), lobes with somewhat swollen appearance tapering distally to smoothly downturned rounded apices bearing strong macrosetae; gcx with two distal projections and fine setae; hyp, in ventral view, large, as broad as long, tapering to broad upturned bilobed apex, lobes equipped with a number of macrosetae dorsally.

Variation: A fairly uniform species. Type material: SOUTH AFRICA: 1ơ paratype, ‘Ndumu Reserve [26°55'S 32°15'E] / Ingwavuma dist. / Zululand, Natal / South Africa’, ‘Collector / T. Oatley / 11.5.61’, ‘ Gonioscelis ơ / ventralis Schiner / det. H. Oldroyd 1972’; 1ơ 3^ paratypes, ‘S Africa: Natal #5 / Mkuzi Game Reserve / 27°38'S 32°14'E 160m / Date: 12.i.1994 / Natal Musm Expedition / Nsumu Pan Area’; 1ơ paratype, ‘ KwaZulu-Natal, RSA / False Bay Park [27°59'S 32°22'E], St / Lucia 17-21/2/1997 / Coll. A Weaving’; 1ơ holotype 1ơ 2^ paratypes, ‘S Africa: KwaZulu-Natal / Umfolozi Game Reserve / Emoyeni Trail area 245m / 28°19'08.2"S 31°50'16.3"E / J.G.H. Londt 10.iii.2004 / Woodland Sand & rocks’; 2ơ paratypes, ‘ RSA: KZ-Natal #04 / Umfolozi Game Reserve / 28°19'S 31°52'E 300m / Date: 17.iii.1995 / Coll: J.G.H. Londt / Acacia Woodland’; 1^ paratype, ‘Natal / Hluhluwe Game R / 18- 21.iii.1985 / A Weaving’, ‘Nantulu Hide’ [with prey – Hymenoptera : Mutilidae , male] (AMGS); 1ơ paratype, ‘ South Africa: Natal / Nyala Park Reserve / 3145E 2840S 17.iv.82 / P E Reavell 180m / Comatose on / grass Sporobolus ’; 1^ paratype, ‘ South Africa: Natal / Nyala Park Reserve / 3145E 2840S 18.iv.82 / P E Reavell 180m / Comatose on / flower’; 2ơ 3^ paratypes, ‘ South Africa: KZNatal / Mhlopeni Nature Reserve / 29°01'13.0"S 30°25'01.6"E / 860m J Londt & T Dikow / 13.ii.2004 Acacia savanna’; 1ơ 1^ paratypes, ‘ South Africa: Natal / Mhlopeni Nat Reserve / 2930AB 8.iv.1983 / 8km SE of Muden / Londt, Barraclough & Seymour Thornveld’.

Notes: Oldroyd (1974) recorded the Ndumu specimen under ventralis . The photograph provided in Picker et. al. (2002: 278, Fig. 4 ), is not ventralis , but most likely depicts zulu .

Type locality: South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal, Umfolozi Game Reserve .

Distribution, phenology and biology (Tables 1–2, Fig. 153): A species known only from Savanna situations in the central and north-western parts of KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. Specimens have been found resting on the ground between grass tussocks. A specimen in AMGS is pinned with prey ( Hymenoptera : Mutilidae , alate ơ).

Similar species:A member of the large and widely distributed group of species possessing a poorly defined facial gibbosity. This is one of the most distinctive species, having characteristic, somewhat large, rounded male genitalia. No obvious sister species has been identified.

Figures

Figs 134–142. Gonioscelis male genitalia. 134–136. G. whittingtoni sp. n. (Madzidzi Bay paratype). 134. Lateral. 135. Dorsal. 136. Ventral. 137–139. G. xanthochaites sp. n. (Aus paratype). 137. Lateral. 138. Dorsal. 139. Ventral. 140–142. G. zulu sp. n. (Mhlopeni Nature Reserve paratype). 140. Lateral. 141. Dorsal. 142. Ventral. Scale lines = 1 mm.

Figs 2–5. Gonioscelis species, head, showing development of facial gibbosity and mystax. 2. G. submaculatus Speiser, 1910 (Valley of Lower Shire), poorly defined gibbosity, and mystax extending fairly strongly to antennal sockets. 3. G. longulus Ricardo, 1925 (Paul Roux), moderate gibbosity, and mystax extending moderately to antennal sockets. 4. G. lacertosus Engel, 1925 (Hantamsberg Summit), moderate gibbosity, and small weak setae between gibbosity and antennal sockets. 5. G. punctipennis Engel, 1925 (Garies), well-developed gibbosity, and complete lack of setae between gibbosity and antennal sockets.