Trichardis hesperia, Londt, 2008

Londt, Jason G. H., 2008, A review of Afrotropical Trichardis Hermann, 1906, and the description of the first Oriental representative of the genus (Diptera: Asilidae: Laphriinae), African Invertebrates 49 (2), pp. 171-171 : 185-186

Trichardis hesperia sp. n.

Figs 21, 22

Etymology: From Latin hesperia (western). Refers to the West African distribution of this species.

Description (based primarily on holotype in fair condition—antennae broken off beyond pedicel, postmetacoxal area and most of anterior sterna missing presumably due to damage by dermestids—but supplemented by information from paratypes):

Head: Dark red-brown to black, silver pruinose except for central part of face and frons. Antenna dark red-brown, black setose; postpedicel (ơ paratype) not markedly clavate (L:D=3.6:1). Mystax white with black macrosetae along epistomal margin. Ocellar tubercle with 2 macrosetae. Proboscis and palpi dark red-brown.

Thorax: Dark red-brown, silver pruinose except for bare areas, macrosetae orange, setulae pale yellow. Postpronotum medially pruinose, laterally apruinose; mesonotum apruinose except for narrow lateral and posterior margins. Scutellum entirely pruinose. Anepisternum with orange posterior macroseta, dorsally pruinose, ventrally apruinose. Proepimeron pruinose; katepisternum pruinose posteriorly, apruinose anteriorly; anepisternum pruinose anteriorly, apruinose posteriorly. Legs: Dark red-brown, pulvilli and empodium of similar length. Hind femur dark red-brown, length:height ratio 3.6:1, ventral tubercles poorly developed. Hind tibia lacking ventrodistal spur. Wing: 4.0× 1.4 mm. Costal vein extends around most of wing margin, weak along anal cell, absent from margin of alula. Membrane extensively microtrichose—discal cell microtrichose, but weakly so anteroproximally, cell r

5

entirely microtrichose.

Abdomen: Dark red-brown proximally rapidly becoming brown-orange more distally, macrosetae pale yellow, setulae pale white. T2 red-brown, apruinose except for narrow posterolateral margins, which have some silver pruinescence.

ơ genitalia ( Figs 21, 22 ): Epandrium in lateral view as long as basal part of gonocoxite (i.e. excluding distal projection of gonocoxite and gonostylus). Proctiger long, strongly dorsoventrally compressed. Hypandrium greatly reduced and simple. Gonocoxite in ventral view with projections distally and with a few laterally positioned macrosetae; mediodistal projection stout, fairly straight. Gonostylus slender, slightly sinuous with slightly down turned tip. Aedeagal prongs more or less straight, fairly stout, with small trifurcate tip.

Holotype: SENEGAL: ơ ‘ Museum Paris / Sénegal / Kayes [14°25'N: 11°30'W] / F. De Zeltner 1905’ ( MNHN) . Paratypes: GAMBIA: 1^‘ Keneba [13°19'44"N: 16°00'54"W], Gambia / 14.viii.75 Woodland’, ‘ W. F. Snow Collection / pres. W. F. Snow, 1996 / OUM 02-1996’ ( OXUM) ; 2^‘ Keneba , Gambia / 11.viii.74 Tambana / Bare ground’, ‘ W. F. Snow Collection / pres. W. F. Snow, 1996 / OUM 02-1996’ ( OXUM) ; 1^‘ Keneba , Gambia / 30.v.74 Tambana / dry stream bed’, ‘ W. F. Snow Collection / pres. W. F. Snow, 1996 / OUM 02- 1996’ ( OXUM) . SENEGAL: 1 ơ same data as holotype ( MNHN) .

Distribution and biology: This West African species is known from Gambia and Senegal. Adults have been collected in May and August and so the species is probably active during the northern hemisphere summer. Apart from the fact that specimens have been collected on bare ground, dry river beds and in woodland, no biological information exists.

Similar species: A member of what is here called the ‘ cribrata species group’ which consists of crassipala , cribrata , eburacta , hesperia , malawi , similis , spicata , and indica . These species are superficially similar, but can be easily separated on characters of the male genitalia. T. hesperia is distinctive.

Figures

Figs 17–22. Trichardis species, male genitalia: (17, 18) lateral and ventral of T. glabra sp. n., paratype, Bansang; (19, 20) lateral and ventral of T. grisescens Engel, 1924, holotype; (21, 22) lateral and ventral of T. hesperia sp. n., paratype, Kayes. Scale lines = 1 mm.