Hoplistomerus oldroydi, Londt, 2007

Londt, Jason G. H., 2007, A review of the genus Hoplistomerus Macquart, 1838 (Diptera: Asilidae: Laphriinae), African Invertebrates 48 (2), pp. 167-198 : 181

Hoplistomerus oldroydi sp. n.

Figs 3 , 24–26

Etymology: Named after Harold Oldroyd in recognition of his significant contribution to our knowledge of the genus.

Description: Based on unique ơ holotype. The specimen is in good condition although both mesothoracic legs are damaged (right is entirely missing, left is broken off beyond femur) and some macrosetae are missing (sockets are evident).

Head: Dark red-brown to black, silver pruinose, pale yellow-white setose. Antenna: Dark red-brown, dull silver-gold pruinose, scape and pedicel pale yellow-white setose, postpedicel with a few small setae anterodorsally. Proportions of segments 1.0:1.0:2.7 (i.e. scape and pedicel of equal length, postpedicel more than two and a half times as long as scape). Style highly reduced to a pit-enclosed spine (sensory element). Face dark red-brown, silver pruinose, plane in profile, pale yellow-white setose. Mystax covers most of face, ventral setae being longest (especially along epistomal margin). Eye slightly wider than face in anterior view (face:eye width ratio 1.00:1.14). Frons and vertex similar to face, ocellar tubercle not very prominent and with a pair of ocellar macrosetae. Occiput dark red-brown, silver pruinose, pale yellow-white setose (a row of strong macrosetae dorsally behind eye margin). Two-segmented palpi and straight proboscis dark red-brown, pale yellow-white setose (orange at tip of proboscis).

Thorax: Dark red-brown to black, gold and silver pruinose, pale yellow-white setose. Mesonotum dark red-brown to black, fine gold pruinose centrally, strongly silver pruinose laterally. Postpronotal lobes extensively shiny apruinose. Macrosetae (pale yellow): acrostichals and dorsocentrals absent, 1 or 2 notopleurals, 7 supra-alars, 4 postalars. Scutellum dark red-brown to black, gold-silver pruinose, asetose, lacking transverse suture at midlength. Pleura dark red-brown, gold-silver pruinose, pale yellow-white setose. Anepisternum without macrosetae on posterior margin. Anepisternum shiny apruinose anteroventrally, anepimeron and katepisternum with irregular apruinose areas (possibly partly a result of abrasion). Katatergite with approx. 15 long, moderately developed setae. Prosternum dark red-brown, silver pruinose, asetose. Legs: Coxae dark red-brown, silver pruinose, pale yellow-white setose. Trochanters, femora, tibiae and tarsi red-brown, femora and metathoracic trochanters dark red-brown (metathoracic femora not as extensively dark red-brown as others). Major setae pale yellow, minute setae white. Metatibial spur small.All femora with poorly developed ventral tubercles. Wings: 6.7× 2.4 mm (length from tip to humeral cross-vein, width at widest level). Venation as in Fig. 3 , C extending around wing margin to CuA2+A1 (i.e. anal cell and alula lacking bordering vein). Veins dark red-brown and brown-orange. Membrane weakly stained and extensively microtrichose.

Abdomen: Dark red-brown to black. Terga with narrow orange posterior margins, apruinose, with 2 or 3 yellow discal macrosetae (T1 has 5), covered with fine pale yellow-white setulae. Sterna uniformly dark red-brown, fine dull brown pruinose, sparsely long setose. Genitalia as in Figs 24–26 . Female unknown.

Holotype: KENYA: 1ơ Kanyamkago [or Kamjamkago], S. Kavirondo [Gulf, 00°22'S: 34°16E], 25.v.91, Pugh J. ( ZSMC).

Distribution and biology: Known only from the type locality and collected only in May (Table 1).

Figures

Figs 1–4. Hoplistomerus species: (1) H. erythropus Bezzi, 1915, entire female, lateral view; (2) H. nobilis Loew, 1858, entire female, dorsal view; (3) H. oldroydi sp. n., wing; (4) H. pelos sp. n., wing.

Figs 24–32. Hoplistomerus species, male terminalia: (24–26) H. oldroydi sp. n., Kanyamkago holotype: (24) lateral, (25) distal end of gonocoxite and gonostylus, (26) ventral; (27–29) H. pegos sp. n., Bohotle paratype: (27) lateral, (28) distal end of gonocoxite and gonostylus, (29) ventral; (30–32) H. quintillus Oldroyd, 1940, Mara R. paratype: (30) lateral, (31) distal end of gonocoxite and gonostylus, (32) ventral. Scale lines = 1 mm.