Oligopogon napaios, Londt, 2014

Londt, Jason G. H., 2014, A revision of Afrotropical Oligopogon Loew, 1847 (Diptera: Asilidae) with the description of eighteen new species, African Invertebrates 55 (2), pp. 269-269 : 296-297

Oligopogon napaios sp. n.

Figs 2E, 12, 32

Etymology: From Greek napaios f.(of a wooded vale). In reference to the ‘lowveld’ distribution of the species, characterised by open wooded grassland.

Description:

Head: Dark red-brown to black, gold-silver pruinose, extensively dark red-brown setose. Antenna: Dark red-brown. Segmental ratios: 1:1.2: 3.3: 3.5 (scape, pedicel, postpedicel, style). Scape and pedicel of similar development, black setose. Postpedicel circular in cross-section, tapering gradually distally. Style of similar diameter to distal end of postpedicel, equipped with long black setae projecting from all surfaces. Face, frons and vertex gold-silver pruinose, mystax black, ocellar macrosetae black. Occiput silver pruinose except for two large subtriangular apruinose areas between dorsal eye margin and cervical region (see Fig. 2E), black setose dorsally, white ventrally. Face to head width ratio in anterior view 1:3.9 (face narrower than one eye). Proboscis dark red-brown, straight, pale yellowish setose. Palpi minute, 2-segmented.

Thorax: Dark red-brown to black, extensively gold-silver pruinose, black and white setose. Mesonotum: Extensively pruinose except for following apruinose areas: postpronotal lobes, a pair of narrow medial stripes that do not reach anterior or posterior margins but do coalesce proximally, pair of large areas laterally that span transverse suture. 2 black npl, 1 black spal (other macrosetae poorly developed), general setae mixed dark red-brown and white. Scutellum dark red-brown, largely apruinose but with pair of small silver pruinose areas on anterior margin, fine dark red-brown and pale yellow-white setose (apical macrosetae poorly differentiated). Pleura fairly uniformly silver pruinose. Katatergal setae pale yellow-white. Legs: Coxae dark red-brown, silver pruinose, white setose. Trochanters dark red-brown, white setose. Femora dark red-brown, mixed dark red-brown and white setose. Tibiae dark brown, mostly dark red-brown setose. Tarsi orange-brown, dark red-brown setose. Wings: 3.4 × 1.3 mm (holotype). Veins pale yellow-brown. Membrane transparent, unstained, extensively lacking microtrichia except for small group at distal end of cell r 1 and slightly more extensive groups at distal ends of r 2+3 and r 4 ( Fig. 12 – note: the specimen from O.T.K. Reserve has is slightly more extensively microtrichose).

Abdomen: Terga dark red-brown, largely apruinose except for silver pruinose anterolateral margins, white setose. Sterna dark red-brown, extensively silver pruinose except posterolaterally, white setose. ♂ and ♀ terminalia dark red-brown.

Holotype: SOUTH AFRICA: 1♂ ‘ South Africa 2329BD / Transvaal 2–4 km S of / Bandelierkop 27.i.78 / JGH Londt Bushveld’ ( NMSA).

Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: 1♀ same data as holotype ( NMSA, BMNH 1♀) ; 1♂ 3♀ ‘ Sth Africa : Transvaal / 5 km N of Strijdom / Tunnels 26.ii.1980 / 2430BC J. Londt & / L. Schoeman Lowveld’ ; 1♂ ‘ South Africa. Transvaal / Kruger Park 7-i-1974 / Grano Hill summit 2531 Bb / 9 km south of Skukuza / B&P Stuckenberg’ ; 1♂ 4♀ ‘ South Africa , Tvl. / Hans Merensky Nat. / Res. 23.40S 30.42E / 450m 28.xi.1981 / M.W. Mansell’, ‘sweeping’ ( SANC) ; 1♀ ‘ South Africa , Tvl. / D’Nyala Nature Res. / Ellisras, 23.45S / 27.49E; 13.ii.1991 / M.W. Mansell’ ( SANC) ; 2♂ ‘ Kruger National Park / N of Sabi R. [Sabie River ca. 25°02'S 31°30'E] / 25.xi.1959 / H.K. Munro & / A.C. v. Bruggen’ ( SANC) ; 1♂ 1♀ ‘ South Africa , Kruger Park / Shabeni

Kop 25.2°E 31.2°S / nr Pretoriuskop el. 820m / 15 xii 1985 E.J. Wright’; 2♂ ‘ South Africa , Tvl / O.T.K. [?] Reserve nr / Loskopdam 25.27S / 29.24E 9–11.xii. / 1985 C. D. Eardley’ ( SANC) ; 1♀ ‘ Kangwane / Bongani Res [Bongani Mountain Lodge [25°27'S 31°16'E], Kruger National Park] / Hypothelia / dissoluta’ ~ ‘ In bushveld / 17.i.92’. SWAZILAND : 1♀ ‘Lebombo Flats near / Swazi colliery, Swaziland / Stegi Dist. 2631BD / 26 Febr. 71 Stuckenberg / Arid grassland & bush’ .

Distribution ( Table 1), phenology (Table 2) and biology: Known from a fairly restricted region in the eastern parts of southern Africa ( Fig. 32). The type locality is near the small settlement of Bandelierkop [ca. 23°19'S 29°48'E, 1120m). Collected between November and February. The habitat, variously described as ‘lowveld’, ‘bushveld; and ‘arid grassland and bush’, is probably open savanna where the species may be swept from grass.