Euscelidia rapacoides Oldroyd, 1972

Dikow, Torsten, 2003, Revision of the genus Euscelidia Westwood, 1850 (Diptera: Asilidae: Leptogastrinae), African Invertebrates 44 (2), pp. 1-131 : 105-106

Euscelidia rapacoides Oldroyd, 1972

Fig. 60

Euscelidia rapacoides Oldroyd, 1972: 215 1975: 100 ; Joseph & Parui 1983: 278.

Diagnosis: The species is distinguished from congeners by the predominantly apruinose sct and the densely arranged microtrichia on the wings. Since only two specimens are known definite identification is problematic.

Redescription: Head: Black; fc silver pruinose, fc gib indistinct, mystax white, many macrosetae; oc tr white pruinose dorsally; occ silver pruinose, setae white; Antennae - scp brown, brown setae ventrally; ped brown, brown setae ventrally and dorsally, white pruinose; pped brown, white pruinose; apsel hyaline; Thorax: Black; sct predominantly apruinose, margins and 2 lateral stripes silver pruinose, white setae scattered on pruinose part, macrosetae: 1 black npl s, 1 white or black spal s; sctl silver pruinose, ds sctl s and sctl s long, yellow; Legs - yellow to brown; pro and meso fem orange proximally, brown distad, meta fem pale yellow proximally, distal half brown, clubbed; pro and meso tib brown, yellow stripe anteriorly, meta tib yellow proximally, remaining part brown, pale yellow stripe not reaching tip anteriorly; emp minute; Wings - densely covered with microtrichia, cell c and sc brown coloured, remaining cells light brown; ptero distinct, brown; cell d terminating in 3 veins; hlt light brown; Abdomen: (segments 1–5) Black; T predominantly brown pruinose, anterior and posterior margins grey pruinose, T1 with white setae, T2 with white setae laterally, remaining T with white or brown setae, S grey pruinose, S2 apruinose; ơ terminalia - ơơ specimens unknown.

Type material - The holotype of undeterminable gender is labelled ‘ PHILIPPINES: MOUNTAIN PROV., Abatan, Buguias 60 km S of Bontoc, 1800–2000 m, 27.V.1964 / H.M. Torrevillas Collector BISHOP Mus. / 76 / Euscelidia rapacoides sp. n det. H. Oldroyd 1971 HOLOTYPE (handwritten except for ‘det. H. Oldroyd 19’) / Bishop Museum Holotype No. No. 9669 (red label with black border)’. The specimen is double mounted (minuten in triangular piece of cardboard), is in poor condition (pped broken, abdomen broken, but attached to cardboard (not all segments present)), and is deposited in the BPBM .

The paratype of undeterminable gender is labelled ‘ Paratype (circular label with yellow border) / PHILIPPINES: MOUNTAIN PROV., Abatan, Buguias 60 km S of Bontoc, 1800–2000 m, 25.IV.1964 / H.M. Torrevillas Collector BISHOP /? not in Frey 1937 (handwritten) / Euscelidia rapacoides sp. n det. H. Oldroyd 1971 PARATYPE (handwritten except for ‘det. H. Oldroyd 19’)’. The specimen is double mounted (minuten in triangular piece of cardboard), is in poor condition (left pped and abdomen broken), and is deposited in the BMNH .

Type locality and distribution ( Fig. 60 ): Philippines, Luzon Island, Abatan, 1648’ N 12049 'E. Philippines.

Remarks: The species is very similar to E. marion . More material from the Philippines is necessary to discuss a probable synonymy of the two species.

Figures

Fig. 60. Distribution. Euscelidia lepida sp. n., triangle; E. livida sp. n., square; E. popa sp. n., circle; E. rapacoides, star.