Hoplistomerus engeli Oldroyd, 1940

Londt, Jason G. H., 2007, A review of the genus Hoplistomerus Macquart, 1838 (Diptera: Asilidae: Laphriinae), African Invertebrates 48 (2), pp. 167-198 : 171-172

Hoplistomerus engeli Oldroyd, 1940

Figs 8–10

Hoplistomerus caliginosus: Engel (nec Wulp) 1932: 257. Misidentification.

Hoplistomerus engeli: Oldroyd 1940: 316 (fig. 5f ơ clasper); 1980: 350 (catalogue); Hull 1962: 96.

Diagnosis: Size: Moderate (wing length from humeral cross-vein to tip 8–11 mm). Head: Eye wider than face (in anterior view measured at level of greatest head width). Relative proportions of antennal segments (scape, pedicel and postpedicel) 1.0:0.9:2.5 (i.e. scape and pedicel approximately equal; postpedicel less than three times length of scape). Thorax: Presutural macroseta(e) present. Anepisternal macroseta present. Prosternal ventromedial setation short to absent. Male metatibial spur small. Scutellum lacking a transverse groove at mid-length. Wing cell m 3 with microtrichia limited to a narrow posterior strip and small distoposterior area. Prothoracic coxa and prosternum both dark red-brown. Prothoracic femur dark red-brown (tips may be paler). Abdomen: T3 setulae entirely white (no golden setae evident). ơ genitalia as in Figs 8–10 .

Type specimens studied (all BMNH): SOMALIA: 1ơ holotype, ‘Holo- / type’, ‘Bohotle [08°15'N: 46°20'E] / Somaliland. /1903. / Vety-Major A. F. Appleton. / 1907–89’, ‘ Holotype / Hoplistomerus ơ / engeli Oldr. / det. H. Oldroyd 1940 ’; 1ơ 1^paratypes, same date but labeled as paratypes. KENYA [? SOMALIA]: 1^paratype, ‘Neboi, / 6.vi.22, ‘ Kenya Colony / Northern Frontier Distr. / Juba R. [00°15'S: 42°38'E] / Dr. J. O. Bevan’.

Note: I do not know where Neboi is and can not trace a river in Kenya by the name of Juba. However, a ‘stream’ by that name exists in the SW of Somalia near the Kenyan border which seems the most likely locality.

Other specimens studied: SOMALIA: 1^Diinsoor [Dhiin Soor, 02°24'N: 42°59'E], 26.xi.1983, Lavigne; 2ơ Baidoa [03°04'N: 43°48'E], 11.xi.1983, Lavigne; 1^Baidoa, 18.xi.1983, Lavigne; 1^Baidoa, 23.xi.1983, Lavigne; 1^Baidoa, 7.xi.1985, Lavigne .

Notes: Oldroyd (1940: 316) discusses Engel’s (1932) record of H. caliginosus from Neboi. Having seen one such specimen I can confirm that it is not caliginosus but agrees well with Oldroyd’s engeli males from Bohotle.

Distribution and biology: All verified localities for engeli are in Somalia. While most of the material was collected in November, the Neboi paratype was apparently collected in June (Table 1).

Figures

Figs 5–13. Hoplistomerus species, male terminalia: (5–7) H. caliginosus Wulp, 1899, Haithalhim paralectotype: (5) lateral, (6) distal end of gonocoxite and gonostylus, (7) ventral; (8–10) H. engeli Oldroyd, 1940, Bohotle paratype: (8) lateral, (9) distal end of gonocoxite and gonostylus, (10) ventral; (11–13) H. erythropus Bezzi, 1915, Baidoa ơ: (11) lateral, (12) distal end of gonocoxite and gonostylus, (13) ventral. Scale lines = 1 mm.