Gonioscelis feijeni, Londt, 2004

Londt, Jason G. H., 2004, A review of the afrotropical genus Gonioscelis Schiner, 1866 (Diptera: Asilidae), with descriptions of new species, African Invertebrates 45, pp. 21-124 : 44-45

Gonioscelis feijeni sp. n.

Figs 45–47 , 144

Etymology: Named for Dr Hans R. Feijen who collected the type specimens and donated many Diptera to the Natal Museum.

Description: Based primarily on holotype type ơ (NMSA).

Head:Antenna dark red-brown (base of postpedicel orange-brown), setae orange. Facial swelling poorly developed, slight minor gibbosity just below antennal sockets, mystax orange, weaker in area between main gibbosity and antennal sockets. Frons and vertex thinly gold pruinose. Ocellar tubercle apruinose with dark red-brown to black oc. Occiput silver-gold pruinose except for two apruinose areas behind vertex, setae orange.Proboscis and palpus dark red-brown, orange setose.

Thorax: Dark red-brown to black, silver-gold pruinose. Postpronotal lobes not contrasting with adjacent mesonotum, with yellow-orange setae (a few well-developed). Mesonotal setae mostly orange-yellow: ac not evident; approx. 8–9 pairs dc, clearly extending anterior to transverse suture (those furthest forward are dark red-brown); 2–3 npl; 3–4 sa; 3–4 pa. Scutellum dark red-brown, strongly gold pruinose, with 4 orange mrg sct. Wing length 7.8 mm, membrane mostly pale brown-yellow. Legs: Prothoracic legs mostly orange with orange-yellow setae, femur with dark red-brown posterodorsal area proximally, mesothoracic legs similar but femur with small dark red-brown posterodorsal spot proximally, metathoracic legs similar but femur with tiny dark red-brown distal spot dorsally (at tip). Prothoracic coxa dark red-brown to black, strong gold pruinose, orange setose; femoral spur sharply pointed (angle approx. 30°).

Abdomen: Tergites dark red-brown anteriorly, T4 and beyond becoming increasingly orange posteriorly, gold pruinose, orange-yellow setose. Sternites similar to tergites.

Terminalia ( Figs 45–47 ): Long ep (lobes projecting well beyond tip of proctiger), lobes almost parallel and tapering markedly distally in lateral aspect, each with a few welldeveloped, outwardly directed macrosetae distally (broken off in illustrated male); gcx with two distal projections, upper one large and curved lower one broadly rounded distally and with two macrosetae basally; hyp, in ventral view, slightly longer than broad, constricted at mid-length and broadly bilobed distally, lobes equipped with short setae.

Variation: A species showing little individual variation. Sexual dimorphism is evident in that females have a pale yellow mystax and more extensively dark legs.

Type material: MOZAMBIQUE: 1ơ holotype, 5ơ 7^ paratypes, ‘ Moçambique / Nampula [15°07'S 39°15'E] baragem / 29-3-1982 / Coll. H. R. Feijen’ .

Type locality: Mozambique: Nampula .

Distribution, phenology and biology (Tables 1–2, Fig. 144 ): Known only from one sample from the type-locality that is located within the vast Savanna biome.The material was collected in March (i.e. late summer in a summer rainfall region).

Similar species:A member of the large and widely distributed group of species possessing a poorly defined facial gibbosity. The species has distinctive male genitalia and is not easily confused with any other. The elongate, tapering, setae-tipped epandrial lobes suggest possible affinities with nigripennis and tomentosus .

Figures

Figs 42–51. Gonioscelis male genitalia. 42–44. G. exouros sp. n. (holotype). 42. Lateral. 43. Dorsal. 44.Ventral.45–47. G. feijeni sp. n. (Nampula paratype), epandrial macrosetae missing.45. Lateral. 46. Dorsal. 47. Ventral. 48. G. francoisi Oldroyd, 1970, lateral, reproduction of published illustration. 49–51. G. genitalis Ricardo, 1925 (Ongandjera syntype), left epandrial lobe broken off at mid-length. 49. Lateral. 50. Dorsal. 51. Ventral. Scale lines = 1 mm.

Fig. 144. Distribution of Gonioscelis species found north of southern Africa. closed circle = amnoni, open circle = batyleon, closed square = congoensis, open square = feijeni, closed triangle = francoisi, open triangle = macquartii.