Trichardis terminalis Oldroyd, 1974

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 : 201-202

Trichardis terminalis Oldroyd, 1974

Figs 47, 48 , 58

Trichardis terminalis: Oldroyd 1974: 118 (figs 109 ơ genitalia, 110 ^genitalia); 1980: 356 (catalogue).

Redescription (based on holotype in fair condition; following parts missing: right antennae beyond pedicel, left pro- and mesothoracic legs, right prothoracic tarsus, right wing):

Head: Orange-brown anteriorly dark red-brown posteriorly, but colours masked by silver pruinescence, yellow and white setose. Antenna brown-orange except for red-brown distal part of postpedicel and style, yellowish setose; postpedicel clavate (L:D=2.7:1). Mystax shiny yellowish. Ocellar tubercle with 2 macrosetae. Proboscis and palpi dark red-brown.

Thorax: Dark red-brown with red-brown patches, colours masked by silver pruinescence, yellowish setose. Postpronotum entirely pruinose, mesonotum red-brown with dark red-brown dorsal stripe and broad lateral bands, extensively pruinose except for central area, shiny yellowish setose. Scutellum pruinose except for posterior margin. Anepisternum with yellow posterior macroseta, dorsally pruinose, ventrally apruinose.

Proepimeron pruinose anteriorly, apruinose posteriorly; katepisternum pruinose posteriorly, apruinose anteriorly; anepisternum pruinose posteriorly, apruinose anteriorly. Legs: Femora and distal half of hind tibiae red-brown, rest brown-yellow, pulvilli and empodium of similar length. Hind femur red-brown with paler apices, length:height ratio 3.6:1, ventral tubercles well-developed. Hind tibia lacking ventrodistal spur. Wing: 6.1× 2.3 mm. Costal vein strongly developed as far as wing tip, then very weakly developed along posterior margin of wing and absent from alula. Membrane devoid of microtrichiae, including discal and r 5 cells.

Abdomen: Dark red-brown, apruinose, shiny yellow setose. T2 dark red-brown, apruinose.

ơ genitalia ( Figs 47, 48 ): Epandrium in lateral view slightly longer than basal part of gonocoxite (i.e. excluding distal projection of gonocoxite and gonostylus). Proctiger well-developed, moderately dorsoventrally compressed. Hypandrium reduced and simple. Gonocoxite in ventral view without dorsomedial projections and tapering to narrowly rounded tip carrying about 4 short macrosetae; mediodistal projection moderately stout, tapering to slender slightly upturned tip. Gonostylus well-developed, moderately slender, jutting out beyond mediodistal projection of gonocoxite, gently downcurved distally.Aedeagal prongs slender, sinuous in lateral view, with long terminal filamentous tubules.

Holotype (examined): ZIMBABWE: ơ ‘S. Rhodesia / Umguza Valley [19°30'S: 27°46'E] / 17.12.22 / Roy Stevenson’, ‘ Trichardis / terminalis Oldr. / det. H. Oldroyd, 1972 / Holotype’ (NMSA).

Paratypes (examined): BOTSWANA: 1^‘ Para- / type’ [circular with yellow border], ‘S.Africa:/ Bechuanaland. / Ngamiland [ca 20°30'S: 22°40'E], Nov. 1930 – Jan.1931. / G.D. Hale Carpenter./ B.M. 1931–160’, ‘ trichardis / terminalis Oldr. / det. H. Oldroyd 1972 / Paratype’ [white] (BMNH). ZIMBABWE: 1^‘ Country Rhodesia / Loc. Chirundu [16°02'S: 28°50'E] / Date 17.ii.65 / Coll. K Borthwick’, ‘ Trichardis / terminalis Oldr. / det. H. Oldroyd, 1972 / Paratype’; 1^‘ Country Rhodesia / Loc. Chirundu / Date 15.ii.65 / Coll. K Borthwick’, ‘ Trichardis / terminalis Oldr. / det. H. Oldroyd, 1972 / Paratype’; 1^‘ Para- / type’ [circular with yellow border], ‘Dovenby Farm. [19°53'S: 28°29'E], / S. Rhodesia / 17.9.1922, Rhodesia / Museum’, ‘ Trichardis / cribrata / Lw. / Dr. EO. Engel det.’, ‘ Trichardis / terminalis Oldr. / det. H. Oldroyd 1972 / Paratype’ [white] (BMNH).

Note: In describing this species Oldroyd (1974) lists his material as follows:‘ Type in Pretoria. Type-locality: RHODESIA, Umguza Valley, 17.ix.22 (Roy Stevenson)’. He then states ‘Distribution. RHODESIA: Umguza Valley; Dovenby Farm; Chivundu (Borthwick). BOTSWANA: Ngamiland, 1931 (G. D. Hale Carpenter)’. The specimens he studied are in NMSA and BMNH and carry paratype labels. So although not formally listed in his publication, I accept the above specimens as the full type series .

Other material examined: BOTSWANA:1 ơ 2^Maxwee [19°28'S: 23°40'E], ix.1976, Russell-Smith, Mopane woodland; 1 ơ Kwaai [Khwai] R. 20 km W Moremi North gate [ca 19°S: 23°E], 14.x.1977, Russell-Smith, Acacia giraffae woodland . NAMIBIA: 1 ơ E Caprivi Linyanti [17°47'S: 24°23'E], 9–17.x.1970, Strydom . TANZANIA: 1 ơ Seranda Rd [?] K.I., 27.xi.1927, Nash ( OXUM) . ZIMBABWE: 2 ơ 2^Rekomitjie Research Station [16°08'S: 29°24'E], 14.x.1973 (1 ơ), 15.x.1973 (1 ơ 1^), 16.x.1973 (1^), Phelps; 1 ơ Sanyanti Valley [?Sanyati, 17°30'S: 29°23'E], ix–x.1925, Stevenson ; 12 ơ 8^2? Triangle [21°02'S: 31°27'E], 19.ix.1963 (5 ơ 3^), 21.ix.1963 (5 ơ 4^1?), 23.ix.1963 (2 ơ 1^1?), Moore ( NMNH) .

Distribution and biology: The species is known mainly from a relatively small area of southern Africa ( Fig. 58 ), being recorded from Botswana, Namibia (the Caprivi) and Zimbabwe. A single record from Tanzania suggests a wider distribution. Adults fly between September and February (no record for January) (Table 1). Label data indicate that the species lives in both Acacia and Mopane woodland.

Similar species: T. terminalis has an entirely pruinose postpronotal lobe and in this respect can be grouped with apicalis , grisescens , ornata , picta , testacea , turneri and zinidi . The species is, however, most similar to grisescens .

Figures

Fig 58. Distributions of southern African Trichardis species:· – T. apicalis Oldroyd, 1974, 9 – T. terminalis Oldroyd, 1974, • – T. turneri Oldroyd, 1974.

Figs 47–52. Trichardis species, male genitalia: (47, 48) lateral and ventral of T. terminalis Oldroyd, 1974, holotype; (49, 50) lateral and ventral of T. testacea (Macquart, 1838), holotype; (51, 52) lateral and ventral of T. turneri Oldroyd, 1974, Graaff-Reinet. Scale lines = 1 mm.