Choerades flavipes (Wiedemann, 1821)

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 : 42-45

Choerades flavipes (Wiedemann, 1821) Figs 5, 11, 20, 27

Laphria flavipes Wiedemann, 1821: 238; Loew 1858: 355; Oldroyd 1970: 227 (key); 1974: 100-102 (key fig. 94 head)).

Laphria varipes Macquart, 1834: 286; Loew 1858: 356.

Choerades flavipes : Londt 1977: 46 (fig. 3 ♂ terminalia).

Redescription.

Based on all material studied. An entire male specimen is shown in Fig. 20.

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

Thorax: Black, silver pubescent, black, white and yellow setose. Cervical sclerite black setose. Mesonotum largely apubescent except for silver pubescent postpronotal lobes and surrounding area, entirely black setose. Lateral macrosetae black (2-3 notopleurals, 5-6 supra-alars, 4-5 postalars). Scutellum black, disc shiny apubescent, sparsely short black setose, c. 16 black apical scutellar macrosetae. Pleura silver pubescent, fine black and white setose. 1-3 black anepisternal macrosetae. Katatergal setae well-developed, mostly pale yellow with a few black ones. Anatergites weakly silver pubescent, asetose.

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

Wings (Fig. 5): Length (humeral crossvein to tip) x breadth (maximum): ♂ 8.4 × 2.8 - 10.8 × 4.2 mm (mean - 5 specimens - 9.6 × 3.4 mm), ♀ 8.9 × 3.2 - 11.2 × 3.9 mm (mean - 5 specimens - 9.7 × 3.4 mm), males and females on average of similar size. Veins dark red-brown to black, membrane transparent, almost entire surface, except for small parts of basal cells, microtrichose.

Abdomen: Black, apubescent, black (tergites) and white (sternites and lateral margins of tergites) setose. T1 with clusters of yellow setae laterally.

Terminalia: ♂ terminalia as in Fig. 11 (previously published as fig. 3 by Londt (1977)). Hypopygium rotated through 180°.

Material examined.

SOUTH AFRICA: 1♂ 'South Africa / Nieuwoudtv[ille] [c. 31°22'29"S, 19°06'39"E 720m] / Dec 1956 / J. Giliomee’, NMSA-DIP-08870 (NMSA); 1♂ 'Cape Province / Cradock [c. 32°10'52"S, 25°39'04"E 970m] / 28.xi.1968 / J.G.H. Londt’, NMSA-DIP-08847 (NMSA)*; 1♀ 'Capland / Willowmore [c. 33°17'16"S, 23°29'22"E 820m] / Jan 1908 / Dr. Brauns’, NMSA-DIP-08862 (NMSA)*; 1♀ 'Rust en Vrede [c. 33°23'39"S, 22°21'27"E 925m] / Oudtshoorn Dist / C.P.' ~ 'Mus. Expd., / Oct. 1951', SAM-DIP-A007972 (SAMC); 1♀ 'Wit River Valley / Bains Kloof [c. 33°34'47"S, 19°08'06"E 355m] / C.P.' ~ 'Mus. Exp. / Dec. 1949', SAM Expedition, SAM-DIP-A007974 (SAMC); 1♀ 'Uniondale [c. 33°38'55"S, 23°08'18"E 750m] Capland / Dr. Brauns / 25.1.09', NMSA-DIP-08875 (NMSA)*; 1♂ 1♀ 'Pearly Beach [c. 34°39'29"S, 19°29'18"E 20m] / Bredasdorp’ ~ 'S.A.M. / 9:59', SAM-DIP-A007975 (SAMC); 1♂ ‘Wyk’s Vlei [? Wellington area c. 33°39'46"S, 19°00'03"E 120m] / Cape Col.', SAM-DIP-A007973 (SAMC); 1♂ 'Goudini [c. 33°40'06"S, 19°15'51"E 245m] / 1/7/46 / P. Stofberg’, NMSA-DIP-08860 (NMSA); 1*? [M] 'South Africa / Paarl [c. 33°44'03"S, 18°57'44"E 125m] / 29-9-1936 / Ac. UD’, NMSA-DIP-08863 (NMSA); 4♂ 1♀ 'Sth Africa Cape Prov / Outeniqua State For. [c. 33°45'S, 23°01'E 520m] / near Knysna. 3323CC / 23.i.1984 D. & C. / Barraclough. Forest / and forest margins’, NMSA-DIP-08866 [1♂] 08871 [1♂] NMSA-DIP-81789 91 92 (NMSA); 1♂ 'Tygerberg [c. 33°51'46"S, 18°35'14"E 310m] / 10km N. of Milverton / 22.xii.1983 / H. Geertsema’, SANC-DIPT-02273' (SANC); 1♀ 'S.Afr.W.Cape / Grootvadersbosch / 33°52'30"S, 20°52'30"E [c. 600m] / 28-30 Dec. 1996 / D. Larsen / Dry Montane Forest’, SAM-DIP-A014989 (SAMC); 1♂ 'Montagu Pass [c. 33°53'41"S, 22°25'13"E 470m] / George / Dr. Brauns / Cape Colony / 20.I.1922', NMSA-DIP-08850 (NMSA)*; 1♂ 'V[an]. Stadens / River [c. 33°53'59"S, 25°12'24"E 245m] / Dr. Brauns / Cape Colony / 1924', NMSA-DIP-08841 (NMSA)*; 1♂ 'Cape / Cape Town [c. 33°55'30"S, 18°25'27"E 95m]' ~ 'Pres / Purcel / 1888', NMSA-DIP-08851 (NMSA)*; 1♂ 'South Africa / Stellenbosch [c. 33°55'56"S, 18°51'37"E 145m] / 10.ii.1964 / P.L. Swart’, NMSA-DIP-08861 (NMSA); 2♂ 'Sth Africa Cape Prov / Storm’s River State / For. [c. 33°57'01"S, 23°50'11"E 425m] 3423BB 24.i.1984 / D. & C. Barraclough / Forest margins’, NMSA-DIP-08864, NMSA-DIP-81797 (NMSA); 1? 'Ac. - C / 2639', 'S.H. Skaife / Rosebank [c. 33°57'18"S, 18°28'24"E 20m], Cape Prov. / 13.12.1916', 'National Coll. / of Insects / Pretoria. S. Afr.', ' SANC-DIPT-02271 (SANC); 3♂ 3♀ 'Sth Africa: Cape Prov / Knysna Forest 3423AA / Londt & Stuckenberg / 9.xii.1979 Diepwalle [c. 33°57'43"S, 23°09'10"E 420m] / Deep forest & margin’, NMSA-DIP-08876 [1♀] NMSA-DIP-81799-803 (NMSA); 1♀ 'K.H.L. Key / Newlands [c. 33°58'44"S, 18°26'54"E 65m] / Cape Peninsula / Cape Province’, SAM-DIP-A014988 (SAMC); 2♀ ' S.Afr.W.Cape. Table Mt. / Disa Gorge [c. 33°58'47"S, 19°23'35"E 675m], upstream / From Hely-Hutchinson Res. / Feb. 1997. Preying on flies’, SAM-DIP-A014986-7 (SAMC); 1♀ 'Claremont [c. 33°59'10"S, 18°28'20"E 30m] C.P. / #47. 31-xii-42 / D.E. Willis’, SAM-DIP-A007978; 1♂ 'Cape Town / Kirstenbosch [c. 33°59'15"S, 18°25'58"E 130m] / Mar. 1943 / From / in wood of Silver / Tree [ Leucodendron argenteum ]', 'National Coll. / of Insects / Pretoria. S. Afr.', SANC-DIPT-02272 [Pinned with pupal exuvium] (SANC); 1♀ 'George [c. 33°59'17"S, 22°27'11"E 190m] / Capland / Dr. Brauns / 10.11.12', NMSA-DIP-08874 (NMSA)*; 2♂ 'Storms River Pass [c. 33°59'21"S, 23°54'40"E 120m] / Tsitsikama area / 8.12.67 3423BB / B & P Stuckenberg’, NMSA-DIP-08853 [1♂] NMSA-DIP-81806 (NMSA)*; 1♂ 'Knysna / forest [c. 34°00'07"S, 23°02'44"E 245m] / Miss Rex / 1911', NMSA-DIP-08846 (NMSA)*; 1♀ 'Karreedouw Mountains [c. 34°01'15"S, 24°25'24"E 695m] / West of Humansdorp / East Cape Prov / 14 Oct 1959 / B & P Stuckenberg’, NMSA-DIP-08844 (NMSA)*; 1♀ 'South Africa / Swellendam [c. 34°01'33"S, 20°26'17"E 125m] / 30.3.1936 / Ac. US’, NMSA-DIP-08859 (NMSA); 1♂ 'South Africa, Cape Town / Constantiaberg, above Tokai Forest, above / Donkerboskloof. 460m / 34 02S 18 23 30 E’, '28 Nov - 6 Dec 1994 / S. van Noort. Mesic / Mtn. Fynbos. Protea / coronate dominated / Malaise trap’, SAM-DIP-A014990 (SAMC); 1♀ 'Knysna [c. 34°02'07"S, 23°02'47"E 20m] / Capland / Dr. Brauns / 1.1.10', NMSA-DIP-08873 (NMSA)*; 1♀ 'South Africa / S.W. Cape / Somerset West [c. 34°04'33"S, 18°50'36"E 65m] / 3.10.93 / A. Securby [? indistinct] NMSA-DIP-08930 (NMSA)*; 1♂ 'Sth Africa: Cape Prov / Silvermine Nature Res. [c. 34°05'13"S, 18°25'04"E 320m] / 34°08'S, 18°26'E / 22.xii.1988 / JGH Londt Macchia / Sandy ground & rocks’, NMSA-DIP-08869 (NMSA); 1♂ 'Muisenberg [c. 34°05'24"S, 18°29'45"E 10m] / 27 Dec 1934 / G van Son’, 'Collection / Transvaal / Museum’, NMSA-DIP-08858 (NMSA)*; 1♂ 'Oudebosch / R. Zonder End Mts. [c. 34°08'27"S, 19°55'12"E 165m]' ~ 'H.G. Wood / Jan. 1938', SAM-DIP-A007976 [same no. as previous record] (SAMC); 1♀ 'R. Sonder End [= Riviersonderend] / Oudebosch 1500 ft’ ~ 'K.H. Barnard / Nov. - Dec. 1928', SAM-DIP-A007976 (SAMC); 1♀ 'Cape Province / Mossel Bay [c. 34°10'29"S, 22°05'00"E 140m] / Dec. 1934', 'S. Africa: / RE Turner / B.M. 1935 –73’, NMSA-DIP-08865 (NMSA)*; 1♀ 'Steinbrass Riv. / Caledon [c. 34°13'53"S, 19°25'31"E 255m] C.C. / K.H. Barnard / 1916', SAM-DIP-A007977; 1♀ 'South Africa, Cape / 6km NE Hermanus [c. 34°24'33"S, 19°15'02"E 25m] / 29.xii.1983 D.J. Brothers’, NMSA-DIP-08868 (NMSA); 1♀ 'EC Anderson [indistinct] / South Africa / Robertson / 25/10 1942', NMSA-DIP-08867 (NMSA); 1♂ No locality data, SAM-DIP-A014256 (SAMC); 1♂ ‘Z’, SAM-DIP-A014991 (SAMC); 1♂ 'USAfrica / McGough- / Skinner '49 / No 9' USNMENT01443701 (USNM).

Additional material not studied.

Photographs of the holotype are available at the ZMUC web-site (http://daim.snm.ku.dk/digitized-type-collection-details-simple?catno=zmuc00025277): SOUTH AFRICA: 1♀ HOLOTYPE 'L. flavipes Wied. / Cape of Good Hope / Oct: 1817', ‘♀’, 'Mus. / Westerm.', ‘TYPE’, ZMUC-00025277' (ZMUC).

The senior author has seen photographs of the following specimens which are believed to represent flavipes : SOUTH AFRICA: 1♂ 'Ceres [c. 33°22'09"S, 19°18'48"E 455 m] / Cape Province / 1500 ft. / Dec. 1920', 'S. Africa / R.E. Turner / Brit. Mus. / 1921-38', ‘NHMUK012810853’ (BMNH); 1♂ 'Ceres / Cape Province / Nov. 1920', 'S. Africa / R.E. Turner / Brit. Mus. / 1920-497', ‘NHMUK012810855’ (BMNH); 1♀ 'Ceres / Cape Province / Nov. 1920', 'S. Africa / R.E. Turner / Brit. Mus. / 1920-497', ‘NHMUK012810858’ (BMNH); 1♀ 'S. Africa (5) / Kloof Nek [c. 33°56'24"S, 18°23'47"E 215m] / Cape Town / 1 –2.1.1972’, 'Miss A. Mackie’, 'Laphria / flavipes Wied. / det. J.E. Chainey, 1984', ‘NHMUK012810460’ (BMNH); 1♂ 'Cape Province / Swellendam [c. 34°01'33"S, 20°26'17"E 125m] / 9 –14.xii.1931’, 'S. Africa / R.E. Turner / Brit. Mus. / 1932 –3’, ‘NHMUK012810453’ (BMNH); 1♀ 'Mossel Bay [c. 34°10'29"S, 22°05'00"E 120m] / Cape Province / 18 –30.xi.1921’, 'S. Africa / R.E. Turner / Brit. Mus. / 1922-2', ‘NHMUK012810854’ (BMNH); 1♀ 'Cape Peninsula [c. 34°15'00"S, 18°24'57"E 65m] / 13.v.1933 / R.E. Turner / B.M. 1938-6', ‘NHMUK012810458’ (BMNH); 1♂ 'South Africa / Cape Town - / Cape Point [c. 34°21'24"S, 18°29'49"E 10m] / 1-5.xi.1930 / N.W. Simmonds’, 'Pres. by / Imp. Inst. Ent. / B.M. 1940-74', 'Laphria ♂ / flavipes Wied. / det. H. Oldroyd, 1939', ‘NHMUK012810454’ (BMNH); 1♀ '40 / 6.26 / 701', ‘NHMUK012810852’ (BMNH).

Distribution, phenology and biology.

A relatively well-collected South African endemic with a distribution centered in the Western Cape Province (Fig. 27) but extending into the Northern and Eastern Cape provinces. Data indicate that adults have a relatively long period of activity ranging from September through to March (there are single records for July and May), with a peak in December (Table 1). The species apparently inhabits a wide range of habitats from indigenous forest to more open areas of macchia where adults are usually found sunning themselves on vegetation. C. flavipes is endemic to three biodiversity hotspots sensu Conservation International. It occurs primarily within the Cape Floristic Region biodiversity hotspot, but is also distributed within the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany and Succulent Karoo biodiversity hotspots. Little is known of their biology, but one specimen, collected at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Cape Town (SANC-DIPT-02272) is pinned together with its pupal exuvium and labelled as having been collected from an indigenous Silver Tree ( Proteaceae : Leucodendron argenteum ) where the larva had presumably been feeding.