A review of the assassin-fly genus Anypodetus Hermann, 1907 with the description of a new species (Insecta, Diptera, Asilidae) Author Dikow, Torsten https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4816-2909 Department of Entomology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, 10 th Street and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20560, USA dikowt@si.edu Author Dubus, Meliah Front Range Community College, Denver, Colorado, USA text African Invertebrates 2023 2023-05-05 64 2 165 206 http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/afrinvertebr.64.104283 journal article http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/afrinvertebr.64.104283 2305-2562-2-165 238328039A79416EBF0D7462CEC2A862 BCE941E87E045542A3EABDFBCB0A750E Anypodetus arachnoides Oldroyd, 1974 Figs 12-17 , 51 Taxon depository. ZooBank: https://zoobank.org/E98A1482-DA4A-40B9-8A1D-CFD12C02885A; GBIF: https://www.gbif.org/species/1664899 Plazi TreatmentBank ( Londt 2000 ): https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03B39D2F-F045-9D41-FF58-FBE3D93A44FD. Diagnosis. The species is distinguished from congeners by the entirely orange postpedicel, the short white, tightly packed, dorso-ventrally flattened macrosetae in the male mystax, and the entirely black mystax in females restricted to the lower facial half. Figures 12-17. A. arachnoides 12 ♀ (USNMENT00870120), lateral 13 same, dorsal 14 same, head anterior 15 ♂ (USNMENT00870117), head anterior 16 same, lateral 17 same, dorsal. Scale bars: 5 mm, red arrow = vein M2 and M3 alignment. Type locality. Zimbabwe: Matabeleland North: Sawmills ( 19°35'00"S , 028°02'23"E , -19.58333 , 28.03972 ). Material examined. Botswana - Central • 1♀ Farmer's Brigade , 5 km SE Serowe ; 22°25'00"S , 026°44'00"E ; 21 Dec. 1982 ; Forchhammer, P. leg.; NMSA-DIP-024272, NMSA • 1♀ same locality; 22 Dec. 1982 ; Forchhammer, P. leg.; NMSA-DIP-008925, NMSA • 1♀ same locality; 15 Feb. 1983 ; Forchhammer, P. leg.; NMSA-DIP-008921, NMSA • 1♂ same locality; 25 Nov. 1983 ; Forchhammer, P. leg.; NMSA-DIP-008923, NMSA • 1♂ same locality; 30 Mar. 1985 ; Forchhammer, P. leg.; NMSA-DIP-008933, NMSA • 1♂ same locality; 21 Nov. 1985 ; Forchhammer, P. leg.; NMSA-DIP-008919, NMSA • 1♂ same locality; Dec. 1985 ; Forchhammer, P. leg.; NMSA-DIP-008916, NMSA • 1♂ same locality; Mar. 1986 ; Forchhammer, P. leg.; NMSA-DIP-008920, NMSA • 1♂ Farmer's Brigade , Serowe ; 22°25'00"S , 026°44'00"E ; Mar. 1986 ; Forchhammer, P. leg.; Malaise trap ; USNMENT01819604, USNM • 1♂ same locality; Dec. 1987 ; Forchhammer, P. leg.; Malaise trap; USNMENT01819599, USNM. Botswana - Ngamiland • 1♂ Maxwee ; 19°28'00"S , 023°40'00"E ; Nov. 1975 ; Russel-Smith, A. leg.; grassland; NAMS-DIP-082947, NMSA • 1♀ same locality; 19 Dec. 1975 ; Russel-Smith, A. leg.; flood plain; NMSA-DIP-008944, NMSA • 1♀ same data; NMSA-DIP-082947, NMSA . Namibia - Zambezi • 1♀ Katima Mulilo ; 17°30'00"S , 024°16'00"E ; 20-28 Oct. 1970 ; Strydom, A. leg.; NMSA-DIP-008918, NMSA • 1♂ same data; NMSA-DIP-082945, NMSA • 1♂ same data; NMSA-DIP-082946, NMSA . Namibia - Kunene • 1♂ Kaross ; 19°30'00"S , 014°20'00"E ; Feb. 1925 ; SAM Museum Staff leg.; SAM-DIP-A008768, SAMC • 1♀ same data; SAM-DIP-A008768, SAMC • 1? same data; SAM-DIP-A008768, SAMC . Namibia - Otjozondjupa • 1♂ Grootfontein ; 19°33'48"S , 018°06'26"E ; Dec. 1963 ; von Teichm. leg.; NMSA-DIP-008946, NMSA . South Africa - Limpopo • 1♀ Burgersfort , 1 km E; 24°40'53"S , 030°20'06"E ; 01 Feb. 1974 ; Gurney, A. leg.; USNMENT01140570, USNM • 1♂ Messina Nature Reserve ; 22°22'00"S , 030°02'00"E ; 554 m a.s.l. ; 11-12 Feb. 1985 ; Mansell, M. leg.; SANC • 1♀ Messina Nature Reserve , Mopane dry woodland, Sand River ; 22°24'54"S , 030°05'12"E ; 487 m a.s.l. ; 14 Feb. 2005 ; Londt , Jason , Dikow , Torsten leg.; USNMENT00870119, USNM • 1♀ same data; USNMENT00870120, USNM • 1♂ Nylsvley Nature Reserve , Naboomspruit ; 24°39'00"S , 028°42'00"E ; 13 Oct. 1976 ; Ferrar, P. leg.; NMSA-DIP-008947, NMSA • 1♂ same data; NMSA-DIP-082924, NMSA • 1♂ same locality; 28 Nov. 1978 ; Ferrar, P. leg.; NMSA-DIP-008950, NMSA • 1♀ Priska , 45 km NE; 29°33'00"S , 023°07'00"E ; 1050 m a.s.l. ; 19 Mar. 1991 ; Londt , Jason , Whittington, A. leg.; NMSA-DIP-008936, NMSA • 1♀ Soutpan (= Zoutpan ), Soutpansberge ; 22°58'00"S , 029°20'00"E ; 23-24 Feb. 1980 ; Londt , Jason , Schoeman, L. leg.; NMSA-DIP-082925, NMSA • 1♀ same data; NMSA-DIP-082926, NMSA • 1♀ same data; NMSA-DIP-082927, NMSA • 1♀ same data; NMSA-DIP-082928, NMSA • 1♀ same data; NMSA-DIP-082929, NMSA • 1♀ same data; NMSA-DIP-082930, NMSA • 1♂ same data; NMSA-DIP-082931, NMSA • 1♂ same data; NMSA-DIP-082932, NMSA • 1♂ same data; NMSA-DIP-082933, NMSA • 1♂ same data; NMSA-DIP-082934, NMSA • 1♂ same data; NMSA-DIP-008940, NMSA • 1♀ Vivo , 6 km N; 22°59'29"S , 029°15'27"E ; 23-24 Feb. 1980 ; Londt , Jason , Schoeman, L. leg.; bushveld vegetation and old lands; NMSA-DIP-008939, NMSA • 1♀ same data; NMSA-DIP-082935, NMSA • 1♀ same data; NMSA-DIP-082936, NMSA • 1♀ same data; NMSA-DIP-082937, NMSA • 1♀ same data; NMSA-DIP-082938, NMSA • 1♀ same data; NMSA-DIP-082940, NMSA • 1♀ same data; SANC • 1♂ same data; NMSA-DIP-082941 NMSA • 1♂ same data; NMSA-DIP-082942, NMSA • 1♂ same data; NMSA-DIP-082943, NMSA • 1♂ same data; NMSA-DIP-082944, NMSA • 1♂ same data; NMSA-DIP-082939, NMSA • 1♀ Zoutpan , Zoutpansberg Mountains ; 23°10'00"S , 028°25'00"E ; 15-30 Nov. 1932 ; van Son, G. leg.; NMSA-DIP-008941, NMSA . South Africa - Northern Cape • 1♀ Hotazel , Ga-Mogara River bed; 27°19'00"S , 022°54'00"E ; 1050 m a.s.l. ; 14 Mar. 1991 ; Londt , Jason , Whittington, A. leg.; NMSA-DIP-008945, NMSA • 1♂ same data; NMSA-DIP-082923, NMSA • 1♂ Olifantshoek , 5 km W; 27°57'00"S , 022°42'00"E ; 1350 m a.s.l. ; 15 Mar. 1991 ; Londt , Jason , Whittington, A. leg.; Acacia Ziziphus veld; NMSA-DIP-008937, NMSA • 1♀ Olifantshoek , 8 km W; 27°56'00"S , 022°40'00"E ; 1550 m a.s.l. ; 15 Mar. 1991 ; Londt , Jason , Whittington, A. leg.; flat grassy plain; NMSA-DIP-008938, NMSA • 1♀ Vaalbos National Park , Riverside Picnic site; 28°27'28"S , 024°19'59"E ; 1055 m a.s.l. ; 28-29 Jan. 2004 ; Londt , Jason , Dikow , Torsten leg.; Acacia savannah; USNMENT00870117, USNM • 1♀ same data; USNMENT00870118, USNM . Zambia - Lusaka • 1♂ Chilanga ; 15°34'13"S , 028°16'23"E ; 16 Aug. 1913 ; Wood, R. leg.; on path, NHMUK013445830, Paratype , NHMUK . Zimbabwe - Bulawayo • 1♀ Bulawayo ; 20°09'00"S , 028°35'00"E ; Dec. 1922 ; Arnold leg.; NMSA-DIP-008931, NMSA • 1♂ same locality; 04 Nov. 1923 ; Stevenson, R. leg.; SAM-DIP-A008772, SAMC • 1♀ same locality; 11 Dec. 1923 ; Stevenson, R. leg.; SAM-DIP-A008770, SAMC • 1♀ same locality; 03 Jan. 1924 ; Stevenson, R. leg.; SAM-DIP-A008771, SAMC . Zimbabwe - Harare • 1♂ Hillside ; 17°50'00"S , 031°05'00"E ; 24 Nov. 1922 ; Swinburne, Stevenson, R. leg.; NMSA-DIP-008924, NMSA . Zimbabwe - Masvingo • 1♂ Sabi Valley ; 20°25'00"S , 032°05'00"E ; 18 Nov. 1971 ; NMSA-DIP-008935, Paratype , NMSA . Zimbabwe - Matabeleland North • 1♂ Sawmills ; 19°35'00"S , 028°02'23"E ; 11 Nov. 1920 ; Rhodesia Museum leg.; NHMUK013445829, Holotype , NHMUK • 1♀ same locality; 26 Dec. 1923 ; Stevenson, R. leg.; SAM-DIP-A008769, SAMC. Distribution, biodiversity hotspots, seasonal imago flight activity, and biology. Known from throughout southern Africa with a single locality in southern Zambia but not recorded from Mozambique to date (Fig. 51 ). A commonly observed and collected species known from 67 specimens from 23 collecting events between 1913-2005 and three observations at iNaturalist (Table 2 ). The species is not known to occur in any currently recognized biodiversity hotspot. Adult flies are active from spring to late summer (September-March) with a single record for August (Table 3 ). Londt (2000) reports two prey records: Diptera : Platystomatidae and an alate Formicidae .