Valiraptor montanus, Londt, 2002

Londt, Jason G. H., 2002, Afrotropical Asilinae (Asilidae): A provisional key to genera, with a review of the status of Neomochtherus Osten Sacken, 1878, and descriptions of new genera and species, African Invertebrates 43, pp. 11-92 : 61-62

Valiraptor montanus sp. n. ( Figs 224–230 )

Etymology: L. montanus – of mountains, refers to the fact that much of the material has been collected from montane areas.

Diagnosis: Head: Antennal scape and pedicel blackish, pedicel with at most a narrow yellowish apex; postpedicel longer than stylus. Face silver pruinose; mystax with white macrosetae above epistomal margin. Thorax: Postpronotal lobe with long setae. Dorsocentrals present both anterior and posterior to transverse suture. Microtrichial coverage of wing fairly extensive in distal area (cell r 5 entirely covered). Prothoracic femur with long, fine, hair-like posteroventral setae. Metathoracic coxa with one lateral macroseta; trochanter dark red-brown to black; femur anteriorly yellow with brownblack markings and yellow/white macrosetae. Abdomen: Ovipositor relatively short and broad (length:width ratio, measured dorsally <3.3) and relatively short and deep (length:depth ratio, measured laterally <2.8). Gonocoxite length:width ratio>2.5. Distal margin of S8 weakly sclerotised and lacking medial process or sclerotised area. Ventromedial area of hypandrium not markedly constricted. Gonostylus clearly attenuate (viewed ventrally). Aedeagal terminal filaments well developed and filamentous. Gonostylus longer than gonocoxite (viewed ventrally). Aedeagus strongly curved, greatly elongate and tubular. Epandrium simple (without obvious lobes or projections).

Material examined: Holotype: SOUTH AFRICA: 1ơ, ‘RSA: KZ-Natal #12 / Loteni Nature Reserve / 29 ° 28'S: 29 ° 32'E 1470m / Date: 21.ii.1996 / Coll : J & A Londt / Cool Pools area Grass’ . Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: 1ơ, ‘ Sth Africa Transvaal / Cycad Trail / Dist. Middelburg [25 ° 47'S: 29 ° 28'E] / R Elferink 3.i.1983 ’; 3ơ 7^, ‘ South Africa: Natal / Itala Nature Reserve / 2km N Louwsburg / 20.ii.1979 2731CA / JGH Londt Rocky / area at park gate’; 1ơ 1^, ‘S Africa : Natal #97 / Itala Game Reserve / Craig Adam Dam / 27 ° 28'S: 31 ° 25'E / ii.1991 R Miller / Malaise trap’; 1^, ‘S Africa : Natal #98 / Itala Game Reserve / Craig Adam Dam / 27 ° 28'S: 31 ° 25'E / iii.1991 R Miller / Malaise trap’; 1ơ 1^, ‘S Africa : Natal #36 / Royal Natal Nat Park / 28 ° 41'S: 28 ° 56'E 1440m / Date: 23-28.iii.1991 / Coll : JGH Londt / Caravan Park environs’; 2^, ‘ South Africa: Natal / Royal Natal Nat Park / 28 ° 41'S: 28 ° 59'E / JGH Londt 18.iii.1989 / Tiger Falls area’; 4ơ, ‘ South Africa: Natal / Cathedral Peak area / 2829CC 7–12 April 1982 / JGH Londt ex Malaise’; 1ơ 1^, ‘ South Africa: Natal / Cathedral Peak area / 2829 Cc 16-18.xii.1977 / JGH Londt ex Malaise’; 2ơ, ‘Cathedral Peak / Forestry Reserve / Natal Drakensberg / March 1959 / BR & PJ Stuckenberg’, ‘ Little Berg Summits / Themeda grassland / 5500–6000 ft’; 4ơ 1^, ‘ RSA: KZ-Natal #20 / Mpati Mountain Dundee / 28 ° 08'S: 30 ° 13'E 1590m / Date: 19.iii.1997 / Coll: JGH Londt / Summit grass & bush’; 1^, ‘ South Africa: Natal / Giants Castle G. Res. / 2929AD 16.ii.1983 / D. Barraclough / Montane grassland’; 3ơ 1^, same data as holotype; 1^, ‘ RSA: KZ-Natal #8 / Loteni Nature Reserve / 29 ° 27'S: 29 ° 32'E 1500m / Date: 20.ii.1996 / Coll : J & A Londt / Jacob’s Ladder Falls’; 3ơ 1^, ‘ RSA; KZ-Natal #5 / Garden Castle Nat Res / 29 ° 44'S: 29 ° 14'E 1740m / Date: 17.ii.1996 / Coll : JGH Londt / Thukelana River 3 Pools’ ; 1ơ 1^, ‘ South Africa: Natal / Garden Castle Nat Res / Hotel area ca. 1800m / 29 ° 45'S: 29 ° 15'E / JGH Londt 6-11.i.1988 / Grassveld near stream’; 1ơ 1^, ‘near Lilani [29 ° 07'S: 30 ° 51'E] / Ahrens district / Natal, S. Africa / B & P Stuckenberg / April 1962 ’.

Type locality: South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal, Loteni Nature Reserve .

Comments: A species similar to silvestris , but smaller and with different genitalia. All but one specimen are from KwaZulu-Natal and most of the localities are montane ( Fig. 254 ). The species inhabits moist grassland.

Figures

Figs 224–230. Valiraptor montanus sp. n. (Loteni ơ & ^). 224.Antenna. 225. Wing. 226–228. ơ genitalia. 226. Lateral. 227. Dorsal. 228. Ventral. 229–230. ^ genitalia. 229. Lateral. 230. Dorsal. Scale lines = 1 mm.

Fig. 254. Distribution of Valiraptor species in southern Africa. V. montanus (circles), V. vittatus (squares).