Africaterphis Schlinger, 1968

Midgley, John M. & Theron, Genevieve L., 2025, Revision of the Afrotropical spider fly genus Africaterphis Schlinger, 1968 (Diptera, Acroceridae) with the description of a new species, African Invertebrates 66 (1), pp. 193-206 : 193-206

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.3897/afrinvertebr.66.138761
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:6DD4EE69-70D6-420B-95EB-84FCBF234B41
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14946310
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/39A40083-90D9-55FB-85D2-68EE572E8D9E
treatment provided by	African Invertebrates by Pensoft (2025-02-28 15:12:29, last updated 2025-02-28 18:40:04)
scientific name	Africaterphis Schlinger, 1968
status

Treatment

Africaterphis Schlinger, 1968 View in CoL

Figs 2–6 View Figures 2–6 , 7–11 View Figures 7–11 , 12–16 View Figures 12–16

Africaterphis Schlinger, 1968: 61. — Barraclough (1984: 54); Gillung and Winterton (2011: 25). Type species: Terphis acroceroides Sabrosky, 1950: 50 (by original designation). View in CoL

Terphis sensu Sabrosky 1950: 48. Schlinger (1960: 496). View in CoL

Diagnosis.

Africaterphis can most easily be distinguished from other Philopotinae by their bare eyes; highly reduced wing venation; globose abdomen; and postpronotal lobes being proximate but not abutted medially, body coloration drab (not metallic); eyes contiguous above and below antennal base; antennae placed on lower part of head, adjacent to mouthparts; flagellum stylate; legs not elongated; abdominal tergites smooth, rounded in lateral view.

Comments.

Africaterphis contains three valid species. While A. gertschi appears to be limited to the winter rainfall region of South Africa, A. acroceroides and A. stefanfoordi sp. nov. occur in the summer rainfall areas and are not as well separated geographically (Fig. 1 View Figure 1 ).

Species included.

Africaterphis acroceroides ( Sabrosky 1950) , Africaterphis gertschi ( Schlinger 1960) , Africaterphis stefanfoordi sp. nov.

References

Barraclough DA (1984) Review of some Afrotropical Acroceridae, with descriptions of eight new species from South Africa (Diptera: Brachycera). Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa 47: 45–66.

Gillung J, Winterton S (2011) New genera of philopotine spider flies (Diptera, Acroceridae) with a key to living and fossil genera. ZooKeys 127: 15–27. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.127.1824

Sabrosky CW (1950) A new genus and two new species of, and miscellaneous notes on African Acroceridae (Diptera). Proceedings of the Royal Entomological Society of London. Series B, Taxonomy 19 (3 - 4): 47-52. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3113.1950.tb00924.x

Sabrosky CW (1950) A new genus and two new species of, and miscellaneous notes on African Acroceridae (Diptera). Proceedings of the Royal Entomological Society of London. Series B, Taxonomy 19 (3–4): 47–52. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3113.1950.tb00924.x

Schlinger EI (1960) A review of the South African Acroceridae (Diptera). Annals of the Natal Museum 14: 459–504.

Schlinger EI (1968) Africaterphis, a new genus for the African species of Terphis; and a redescription of the Brazilian genus Terphis Erichson (Diptera: Acroceridae). Annals of the Natal Museum 20: 59-62.

Figures

Figure 1. Map of the distribution of Africaterphis species.

Figures 2–6. Frontal view of Africaterphis species 2 Africaterphis acroceroides female 3 Africaterphis acroceroides male 4 Africaterphis gertschi female 5 Africaterphis gertschi male 6 Africaterphis stefanfoordi sp. nov. female. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figures 7–11. Lateral view of Africaterphis species 7 Africaterphis acroceroides female 8 Africaterphis acroceroides male 9 Africaterphis gertschi female 10 Africaterphis gertschi male 11 Africaterphis stefanfoordi sp. nov. female. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figures 12–16. Abdomens of Africaterphis species 12 Africaterphis acroceroides female 13 Africaterphis acroceroides male 14 Africaterphis gertschi female 15 Africaterphis gertschi male 16 Africaterphis stefanfoordi sp. nov. female. Scale bars: 1 mm.