Trichardis eburacta, 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 : 181-182

Trichardis eburacta sp. n.

Figs 13, 14

Etymology: From Latin ebur (ivory) and acta (shore). Refers to the country of Ivory Coast, where most of the type specimens were collected.

Description (based on holotype in excellent condition):

Head: Dark red-brown to black, fine silver pruinose except for much of face and frons. Antenna dark red-brown to black, black setose; postpedicel not markedly clavate (L:D=3.7:1). Mystax white with black macrosetae along epistomal margin. Ocellar tubercle with 2 macrosetae. Proboscis and palpi dark red-brown to black.

Thorax: Dark red-brown to black, silver pruinose except for some shiny apruinose areas. Postpronotum medially silver pruinose, laterally apruinose; mesonotum largely apruinose except for lateral and posterior margins. Scutellum apruinose except for narrow anterior margin. Anepisternum with pale yellow posterior macroseta, dorsally and posteriorly pruinose, anteroventrally apruinose. Proepimeron pruinose except for posterior margin, katepisternum pruinose except for anterior margin, anepisternum entirely pruinose. Legs: Dark red-brown to black, pulvilli and empodium of similar length. Hind femur dark red-brown to black, length:height ratio 3.6:1, ventral tubercles well-developed. Hind tibia lacking ventrodistal spur. Wing: 4.3× 1.7 mm. Costal vein well-developed and extending along much of wing margin, weakly along anal cell, absent from alula. Membrane extensively microtrichose—discal and r 5 cells entirely microtrichose.

Abdomen: Dark red-brown to black anteriorly becoming progressively red-brown posteriorly. T2 dark red-brown, apruinose except for silver pruinose posterior margins laterally.

ơ genitalia ( Figs 13, 14 ): Epandrium in lateral view significantly longer than basal part of gonocoxite (i.e. excluding distal projection of gonocoxite and gonostylus). Proctiger moderately dorsoventrally compressed, lower valve long. Hypandrium greatly reduced and simple. Gonocoxite in ventral view with sharp median projection dorsodistally and without distally arranged macrosetae; mediodistal projection moderately well developed with fairly straight, broadly rounded distal end. Gonostylus fairly stout, jutting out beyond medial process of gonocoxite, with slightly upturned distal end. Aedeagal base with a short finger-like projection laterally; prongs more or less straight, stout, with small trifurcate tip.

Holotype: IVORY COAST: ơ ‘Côte D'Ivoire: 28 km / W Bouaflé. Maraoué / Nat Park 19.iv.1989 / 06°59'N :: 05°54'W / JGH Londt. Woodland / and forest margins’ ( NMSA).

Paratypes: IVORY COAST: 1 ơ 3^same data as holotype; 1 ơ 1^‘ Côte D'Ivoire: Comoé / Nat. Park. ca. 7 km NW / Gansé. 17.iv.1989 / 08°39'N :: 03°56'W / Viewpoint 2 J Londt / riverine forest area’; 3 ơ ‘ Côte D'Ivoire : Comoé / Nat. Park. nr where / Lolo riv meets Comoé / 08°44'N :: 03°50'W / Viewpoint 4 J Londt / 17.iv.1989 riverside’ . NIGERIA: 1^‘ N. Nigeria / Zaria , / Samaru. [11°10'N: 07°37'E] / 18.vi.1968 ’, ‘ J. C. Deeming / m. v. trap .’ ( BMNH) .

Distribution and biology: The species has only been found in West Africa. Adults fly during the summer months of April and June (Table 1). Little information is available concerning habitat, however, I collected specimens in woodland and open areas adjacent to forests.

Similar species: T. eburacta is 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 separated on characters of the male genitalia. T. eburacta appears to be a fairly distinctive species, however it is most similar to crassipala and similis in that the hypandrium is better developed than in other species and the form of the gonocoxites is very similar.

Figures

Figs 11–16. Trichardis species, male genitalia: (11, 12) lateral and ventral of T. cribrata (Loew, 1858), Mhlopeni Nat. Res.; (13, 14) lateral and ventral of T. eburacta sp. n., paratype, Comoé National Park; (15, 16) lateral and ventral of T. effrena sp. n., paratype, Witsand Nat. Res. Scale lines = 1 mm.