Genus Afroxanthandrus Kassebeer, 2000

Figs 1–24

Afroxanthandrus Kassebeer, 2000b: 150 . Type species: Xanthandrus congensis Curran, 1938 (by original designation)

Diagnosis

Afroxanthandrus can be distinguished from other Afrotropical Melanostomini Williston, 1885 by the combination of the pile on the hind coxae (bare in Melanostoma Schiner, 1860) and the lack of a marginal groove on the abdomen (present in Pelloloma Vockeroth, 1973). While geographically distinct from Xanthandrus, Kassebeer (2000b) distinguished the genus by the combination of yellow-brown markings on tergite 1 (dark in Xanthandrus), frons of the female medially swollen (evenly curved in Xanthandrus), antennae elongated (shorter in Xanthandrus), hair on the scutum standing on fine, shiny bases (no raised bases in Xanthandrus), scutellum enlarged and bulging (not enlarged and bulging in Xanthandrus), front tarsi slightly widened (not widened in Xanthandrus) and femora moderately thickened. The genital characters provided in Kassebeer’s (2000b) revision were based on a single specimen, and are of questionable value given the variation presented here.

Key to species

1. Tergite 4 entirely dark. Yellow fascia on tergite 2 with curved or triangular posterior border (Figs 13, 15–16) ............................................................................................................................................... 2

– Tergite 4 with broad yellow fascia. Yellow fascia on tergite 2 with straight posterior border (Figs 12, 14) ..................................................................................................................................................... 3

2. Tergite 3 with broad fascia, about ¾ of the length of the tergite (Figs 13, 15); scutal pile short, half as long or less as length of scape (Figs 8, 10); male genitalia: surstyli short, about 2.5 times as long as wide (Figs 18, 21) .............................................................................. A. congensis (Curran, 1938)

– Tergite 3 with narrow fascia, about ⅓ of the length of the tergite (Fig. 16); scutal pile long, as long as or slightly longer than length of scape (Fig. 11) (male unknown) ................................................. ............................................................................................................. A. longipilus Kassebeer, 2000

3. Tergite 4 with broad fascia, similar in shape to fasciae on tergites 2 and 3 (Fig. 12); male genitalia: surstyli short, about twice as long as wide (Figs 17, 20) ............................ A. comorosensis sp. nov.

– Tergite 4 with narrow fascia, clearly narrower than fasciae on tergites 2 and 3 (Fig. 14); male genitalia: surstyli long, about eight times as long as wide (Figs 19, 22) ......... A. conopeum sp. nov.