A review of Afrotropical Acnephalum Macquart, 1838, including the reinstatement of Sporadothrix Hermann, 1907 and descriptions of two new genera (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae)
Author
Londt, Jason G. H.
Natal Museum, P. Bag 9070, Pietermaritzburg, 3200 South Africa, and School of Biological & Conservation Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, P. Bag X 01, Scottsville, 3209 South Africa
robber4afr@telkomsa net
text
African Invertebrates
2010
2010-12-31
51
2
431
482
http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.5733/afin.051.0212
journal article
308514
10.5733/afin.051.0212
903c0941-2892-4dcb-9040-21c3ffb5eb82
2305-2562
7913777
Acnephalum
Macquart, 1838
Acnephalum
:
Macquart 1838: 51
[1839: 167].
Type
species:
Acnephalum olivierii
Macquart, 1838
, by designation of
Röder (1882: 245)
– not
Engel (1929: 276)
.
Pycnopogon
Loew, 1847: 526
.
Type
species:
Dasypogon apiformis
Loew, 1847: 529
by original designation [=
pallidipennis
(Bruellé, 1836)
].
Syn. n.
Designation of
type
species of
Acnephalum
: The designator of
A. olivierii
as
type
species has long been accepted to be
Engel (1929)
who, without explanation, merely states ‘Genotype:
Olivieri
Macq.
’.
Röder (1882)
, however, although misspelling the generic name, clearly stated, under the heading ‘Ueber
Acnecephalum
Macq.’, that ‘Die typische Art der Gattung ist
Acnecephalum Olivieri
Macq.
(Diptères exotiques Tome premier 2. partie pag. 51)’. I believe this statement complies with requirements for a properly constituted
type
species designation, and that this was probably known to Engel as he makes reference to Röder’s work.
Diagnosis: Stenopogonine asilids with the following combination of characters.
Head
: Antennal postpedicel elongate, slender; style composed of 3 elements (2 slender segments and terminal spine-like seta); head clearly wider than high in anterior view (not more-or-less circular); face slightly convex; mystax covering entire face; vertex distinctly excavated; angle of divergence of frons/vertex in anterior view>20°; palpi 2-segmented; proboscis straight.
Thorax
: Anatergites bare; metepisternal macrosetae present; postmetacoxal area membranous; pulvilli well developed; wing with cells r
1
and m
3
open at margin; costal vein extending around entire wing margin (although weakly around anal cell and alula); ‘stump-vein’ at base of R
4
absent.
Abdomen
: Segments clearly wider than long (i.e. moderately dorsoventrally flattened); terga more densely setose laterally.
Natal Museum specimens of
Acnephalum
studied:
A. fasciculatus
(
Loew, 1847
)
–
1♀
‘Graec. Peloponnes / Zachiorou, Kalavr. /
J. Klimosch
vii.63’ (
NMSA
)
.
A. mixtus
(
Loew, 1847
)
–
1♂
‘
Meiron
/
Israel
/
30.v.1972
/ leg.
Kugler’
(
NMSA
)
;
1♀
‘
5.iv.1957
/
Bir Rekhnis
, /
Israel
/
Coll. Fishelsohn L.
’ (
NMSA
)
.
A. pallidipennis
(Brullé, 1836)
–
2♂
‘6.vi.39. westl. Me / galopolis;
Graecia
/ leg.
Erich Schmidt’
(
NMSA
);
1♀
‘4.vi.38.
Umg.
s. Me / galopolis;
Graecia
/ leg.
Erich Schmidt’
(
NMSA
).
Note
: Of possible interest is the fact that the female of
A. pallidipennis
listed above does not appear to have acanthophorites. This may be of significance when a revision of
Acnephalum
is undertaken.