Trichardis abdelkuri, 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 : 175-176

Trichardis abdelkuri sp. n.

Figs 5, 6

Etymology: Named after the type locality, Abd el Kuri I. [also written Abd al Kuri], Yemen.

Description (based on holotype in good condition):

Head: Dark red-brown to black, extensively silver pruinose except for central face, frons and ocellar tubercle, setae black, pale yellow and white. Antennal scape dark red-brown, white setose except for a single pale yellow ventrally situated macroseta (right side has an additional slender black ventral macroseta); pedicel brown-yellow, setae white except for 1 or 2 longish black ones; postpedicel and style dark red-brown, postpedicel elongate spindle-shaped (L:D=4.1:1) with few pale setulae dorsally. Mystax white with some black setae along epistomal margin and below antennal sockets. Ocellar tubercle with 4 pale yellowish macrosetae. Proboscis and palpi dark red-brown.

Thorax: Dark red-brown to black, largely apruinose with gold-silver pruinose parts, fine setae whitish, more major setae pale yellow. Postpronotum largely apruinose except for narrow medial part, mesonotum largely apruinose except for margins, macrosetae shiny pale yellow, setulae shiny white. Scutellum black, entirely apruinose.Anepisternum with slender pale yellow posterior macroseta, extensively pruinose except for small area anteroventrally. Proepimeron anteriorly pruinose, posteriorly apruinose; katepisternum posteriorly pruinose, anteriorly apruinose; anepisternum pruinose except for anterodorsal part. Legs: Dark red-brown to black, pulvilli and empodium of similar length. Hind femur uniformly dark red-brown, length:height ratio 3.8:1, ventral tubercles poorly developed, major setae pale yellowish. Hind tibia lacking ventrodistal spur. Wing: 5.3× 2.2 mm. Costal vein extends around most of wing margin, weak along anal cell, absent from alula. Membrane not extensively microtrichose—discal cell largely lacking microtrichiae (a few present centrally), cell r 5 with microtrichiae limited mainly to distal half.

Abdomen: Anterior four terga dark red-brown, terminal two visible segments and hypopygium orange, apruinose except for narrow silver pruinose distolateral margins, setae transparent whitish. T2 dark red-brown, apruinose except for narrow silver pruinose posterior margins laterally.

ơ genitalia ( Figs 5, 6 ): Epandrium in lateral view slightly longer than basal part of gonocoxite (i.e. excluding distal projection of gonocoxite and gonostylus). Proctiger moderately dorsoventrally compressed. Hypandrium greatly reduced and simple. Gonocoxite in ventral view without median projections distally and with mediodistally arranged macrosetae, mediodistal projection fairy slender with slightly upturned distal end. Gonostylus slender with straight distal end. Aedeagal prongs more or less straight with small terminal tubules.

Variation: The paratype ơ is slightly teneral and displays a few minor differences in coloration. Both scape and pedicel are yellowish brown and both have major setae black. Macrosetae of thorax and abdomen are transparent, lacking colour. The ^paratypes are similar to the holotype, but have the first five terga dark red-brown.

Holotype: YEMEN: Abd el Kuri I.: ơ ‘ Abdelkuri I: [12°05'N: 52°20'E] / Jebel Saleh [?], / 500–1500 ft / 7.v.1967 / K. Guichard’, ‘ Brit. Mus. / 1967-455’ ( BMNH).

Paratypes: 1 ơ 2^with same label data.

Distribution and biology: Known only from the type series. The species may be confined to the island of Abd el Kuri and has so far only been collected in May. No biological information is available.

Similar species: T. abdelkuri is superficially very similar to nigrescens , but the species can be reliably separated on male genital features. Although I have seen relatively few specimens of both species, all specimens of abdelkuri have mesonotal, anepisternal and ocellar setae yellowish, while these setae are mostly black in nigrescens (some variation exists). These species are also somewhat similar to pohli , but easily separated on size and male genital form.

Figures

Figs 5–10. Trichardis species, male genitalia: (5, 6) lateral and ventral of T. abdelkuri sp. n., paratype, Jebel Saleh; (7, 8) lateral and ventral of T. apicalis Oldroyd, 1974, paratype, Ndumu Game Reserve; (9, 10) lateral and ventral of T. crassipala sp. n., paratype, Ouagadougou. Scale lines = 1 mm.