Trichardis crassipala, 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 : 178-179

Trichardis crassipala sp. n.

Figs 9, 10

Etymology: From Latin crassus (thick) and palus (stake/stick). Refers to enlarged gonostyli.

Description (based on holotype in excellent condition):

Head: Dark red-brown to black. Antenna dark red-brown to black, black setose except for a few small white setae; postpedicel not markedly clavate (L:D=3.7:1). Mystax white, a few black macrosetae along epistomal margin, on slightly convex and mostly shiny apruinose face. Ocellar tubercle with 2 macrosetae. Proboscis and palpi dark red-brown to black.

Thorax: Dark red-brown to blackish, mostly apruinose, pruinose areas silvery. Postpronotum strongly silver pruinose medially, extensively apruinose laterally, mesonotum apruinose except for narrow silver pruinose lateral and posterior margins, macrosetae pale yellow, fine setae white. Scutellum apruinose except for narrow anterior margin. Anepisternum with pale yellow posterior macroseta, dorsally pruinose, ventrally apruinose. Proepimeron intensively pruinose, posterior part apruinose; katepisternum anteriorly apruinose, posteriorly pruinose; anepisternum pruinose. Legs: Dark red-brown, pulvilli and empodium of similar length. Hind femur dark red-brown, length:height ratio 3.7:1, ventral tubercles moderately developed. Hind tibia lacking ventrodistal spur. Wing: 4.2× 1.6 mm. Costal vein moderately developed along entire wing margin, but weak along anal cell and absent from alula. Membrane extensively microtrichose (except for parts of some proximally situated cells)—discal and r 5 cells entirely microtrichose. Abdomen: Dark red-brown anteriorly becoming progressively more brown-orange posteriorly. T2 dark red-brown, apruinose except for narrow silver pruinose posterior margin laterally.

ơ genitalia ( Figs 9, 10 ): Epandrium in lateral view significantly longer than basal part of gonocoxite (i.e. excluding distal projection of gonocoxite and gonostylus). Proctiger fairly long and strongly dorsoventrally compressed. Hypandrium moderately developed, with characteristic bilobed shape distally. Gonocoxite in ventral view with moderately well-developed median projection distally and lacking macrosetae except for a group of small ones on median projection; mediodistal projection stout, broad, laterally flanged, strongly sclerotised with characteristic shape.Gonostylus short, slender, largely hidden by gonocoxite. Aedeagal prongs more or less straight with moderately well-developed trifurcate tip.

Holotype: BURKINA FASO: ơ ‘Ouaga. [Ouagadougou, 12°25'N: 01°30'W] 8.vii.69 / Haute – Volta / J.G. Pointel’ ( MNHN).

Paratypes: BURKINA FASO: 2 ơ 1^same data as holotype ( MNHN) . MALI: 1 ơ 1^‘ Coll. Mus. Tervuren / Mali: Kassarola [?] / 31.vii.1970 / G. Pierrard’ ( MRAC) . NIGER: 5 ơ 3^‘ Museum Paris / Rég. O. De Zinder / Tibiri – Maradi [13°35'N: 08°10'E] / (Mission Tilho) / Dr R. Gaillard 1910’, ‘ Juillet’, ‘ Aout’ ( MNHN) ; 1 ơ 3^‘ Museum Paris / Rég. O. De Zinder / Maradi / (Mission Tilho) / Dr R. Gaillard 1910’, ‘ Juillet’ ( MNHN) . SUDAN: 3 ơ 3^‘ 11.v.55 38 / Southern Sudan / Equatoria Province / Juba [04°57'N: 31°35'E] / P. Blasdale. 34–1955’ ( OXUM) .

Other material examined:There are three specimens of undetermined sex from Niger (same labels as above) in MNHN.

Distribution and biology: The species is widely distributed in Africa north of the Equator, being found in West Africa ( Mali, Burkina Faso), Central Africa ( Niger) and East Africa ( Sudan). Adults fly between May and August (no records for June), the northern hemisphere summer (Table 1). No information is available concerning habitat preference, but locality information suggests that this is a savannah species.

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. crassipala is most similar to similis in that both species have well-developed hypandria.

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.