Euscelidia mucronata, Dikow, 2003

Dikow, Torsten, 2003, Revision of the genus Euscelidia Westwood, 1850 (Diptera: Asilidae: Leptogastrinae), African Invertebrates 44 (2), pp. 1-131 : 84-85

Euscelidia mucronata sp. n.

Figs 41, 49

Etymology: Latin adjective mucronatus = pointed; refers to the two pointed lobes on the distal margin of the hypandrium.

Diagnosis: The species is distinguished from congeners by the grey and brown pruinose sct, the lateral apruinose spots on the sct, and features of the ơ terminalia (hypd bent upwards, divided into two pointed lobes).

Description: Head: Black; fc yellow pruinose, fc gib indistinct, mystax white, many macrosetae; prob and plp brown, setae white; oc tr white pruinose dorsally; occ silver pruinose, setae white; Antennae - scp brown, brown setae ventrally, white pruinose; ped brown, brown setae ventrally and dorsally, white pruinose; pped brown proximally, light brown distally, white pruinose; apsel brown.

Thorax: Black; ppro peg large, silver pruinose; sct predominantly yellow pruinose, margins silver pruinose, 2 apruinose presut spots and 2 triangular apruinose psut spots/ stripes laterally, yellow setae on yellow pruinose and white setae on silver pruinose part; macrosetae: 1 white npl s, 1 black spal s; sctl silver pruinose, ds sctl s and sctl s short, white; Legs - yellow to brown; fem light brown, meta fem slightly clubbed, yellow proximally, club brown; pro and meso tib light brown, yellow stripe anteriorly, meta tib dark brown, pale yellow stripe not reaching tip anteriorly; first tar yellow proximally, brown distad, remaining tar brown, setae black; emp minute; Wings - hyaline, but microtrichia evenly scattered on remigium, cells br and bm with very few

A B C

D E microtrichia, slightly browned stained; ptero distinct, brown; cell d terminating in 2 veins; hlt light brown.

Abdomen: Black; T predominantly brown pruinose, anterior, lateral, and posterior margins grey pruinose, T1 with long brown setae laterally, T 2 in proximal half with white setae laterally, remaining T with white and brown setae, S grey pruinose; ơ terminalia Fig. 49 - sur pointed distally, lobe ventrally; hypd bent upwards, divided into 2 pointed lobes; d aed shea short, blunt; lat apod simple.

Type material - The ơ holotype is labelled ‘ Nairobi 5500 feet / KENYA: 9–13.xii.1970 A. E. Stubbs B.M. 1972-211 / HOLOTYPE Euscelidia mucronata sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (red label)’. The specimen is double mounted (minuten in block of foam), is in very good condition (met tib broken; ơ terminalia attached to specimens pin in micro vial), and is deposited in the BMNH.

The ơ paratype is labelled ‘ KENYA, Ngong Forestry Station 13–18 Jan. 1968 Malaise trap Krombein & Spangler / PARATYPE Euscelidia mucronata sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (yellow label)’. The specimen is directly mounted, is in very good condition (antennae broken), and is deposited in the USNM .

Type locality and distribution (Fig. 41): Kenya , Nairobi, 1 16'S 36 48'E. Kenya .

Figures

Fig. 49. ơ terminalia of Euscelidia mucronata sp. n. A. Dorsal. B. Ventral. C. Lateral. D. Hypandrium posterior. E. Aedeagus lateral. Scale line = 1 mm.