Gonioscelis pruinosus Ricardo, 1925

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 : 79-81

Gonioscelis pruinosus Ricardo, 1925

Figs 98–100 , 145

Gonioscelis pruinosus Ricardo, 1925: 267–268 .

Redescription: Based mainly on ơ syntypes ( BMNH), but as these lack heads, details provided are for a syntype ^ whose head is intact .

Head: Antenna dark red-brown to black, setae mostly dark red-brown and dark brown. Facial swelling moderately developed, without obvious point at which dorsal region terminates below antennal sockets, a second smaller swelling between main gibbosity and antennal sockets, mystax uniform mostly white, some setae located between main gibbosity and antennal sockets brown. Frons and vertex silver pruinose. Ocellar tubercle apruinose with dark brown oc. Occiput gold pruinose except for weakly apruinose areas behind vertex, setae pale yellow-white. Proboscis and palpus dark red-brown, pale yellow-white setose.

Thorax: Dark brown, gold pruinose. Postpronotal lobes mostly yellow, contrasting with adjacent mesonotum, with 4–5 macrosetae and smaller yellow setae. Mesonotal setae: ac not evident; dc mostly broken, black, and do not appear to extend anterior of transverse suture; 2 black npl; 2–3 sa (missing, but sockets visible); 4 mixed dark red-brown or pale yellow-white pa. Scutellum dark brown, with 2–3 mrg sct (missing). Wing length 7.4 mm, membrane mostly pale yellow.Legs: Brown-yellow, prothoracic femur brown-red anteriorly in proximal part, setae mixed black or yellow. Prothoracic coxa dark red-brown, thinly gold pruinose, whitish setose; femoral spur bluntly pointed (angle approx. 65°).

Abdomen: Tergites brown, silver pruinose, setae mostly yellow, well developed on T1–2 where a few brown ones occur. Sternites similar to tergites but all setae short yellow.

Terminalia ( Figs 98–100 ): Long ep (epandrial lobes project beyond level achieved by proctiger), lobes tapering distally to slightly downturned tips equipped with a group of short macrosetae; gcx distally with three dorsal projections and a few fine setae; hyp, in ventral view, slightly longer than broad, tapering gradually to bilobed apex, lobes widely separated and equipped with terminal macrosetae.

Variation: A species showing slight individual variation and sexual dimorphism, but limited material does not allow adequate assessment to be made.

Type material (all seen): KENYA: 1ơ 2^ syntypes, Brit. E. Afr, Narok [01°25'S 34°55'E], Masai Reserve, 17.ii.1914 (ơ) 26.ii.1914 (2^), Capt. A.C. Luckman BM 1924-207 ( BMNH); 1^ syntype, ‘ Brit. E. Africa. / Ngare Narok. / Marai Reserve . / 31.12.13. about 6,000 ft. / A. O. Luckman. ’, ‘ Presented by G. Ricardo / Gonioscelis pruinosus ^ / n sp Ricardo’, ‘ Paratype ^’, ‘SAM-DIP / A008272’ ( SAMC) .

Type locality: Here designated as Kenya: Narok .

Other material: KENYA: 1ơ, ‘Kenya: Matembur / 01°22'N 35°03'E 1550m / 26- 27.v.1980 Lamoral / Malaise trap’; 1^, ‘Brit. E. Afr / Narosura [01°32'S 35°52'E] / Masai Reserve / 1.iii.1914, 6500 ft /, Capt.A.O. Luckman’ (BMNH) [probably seen by Ricardo but not mentioned in her paper and therefore without type status]; 1^, ‘Pres. by / Imp. Bur. Ent. / Brit. Mus. / 1924-298.’ ‘Brit. E. Afr. / Between Guaso Nycto & Narosura / Masai Reserve / 27.ii.1914 / Capt. A.O. Luckman.’ (BMNH); 1ơ, ‘Kenya Colony: / Nairobi [01°17'S 36°49'E] / iii.1922 / De. V.G.L. van Someren. / B.M. 1923- 87.’ (BMNH). TANZANIA: 1ơ, ‘Tanzania: Ngorongoro / Crater National Park [03°10'S 35°35'E] / Hdqtrs. 25-xi-1969 / M.E. Irwin & / E.S. Ross’ (CASC); 1ơ, ‘Kenya Colony / Solai Dist. / Sonje Valley / Laikipia Escarp. [00°25'N 36°08'E] / 12.ix.1919 / T.J. Anderson’ (ID G. andersoni sp. n. Bromley 1945 – unpublished) (NMNH). UGANDA: 1ơ 1^, ‘Uganda / Karamoja / Atumatak [Atumutaok 02°14'N 34°38'E] / 17.4.1962 / J. Bowden’ (BMNH); 2ơ 1^, ‘Uganda: / Lake Nabugabo [00°22'S 31°54'E] / 17.iv.1972 / D.J. Greathead’ (BMNH). UNKNOWN: 1ơ, ‘29. 1-1-12’, ‘ G. / ventralis / Schin. / det. Engel’, ‘ Gonioscelis / ventralis Schin / det. E.O. Engel ơ’ (ZSMC).

Notes: Ricardo (1925) designated more than one type and so all her specimens are considered syntypes. I do not believe it necessary to designate a lectotype. The BMNH ơ and 1^ ‘types’ have labels indicating gender reversals. Some syntypes have their heads broken off. A loose head found next to the specimens was gummed to a lectotype label. As its mystax is dark red-brown it is supposed that some sexual dimorphism exists, but as there is no certainty that this head actually belongs to one of the syntypes, this may be incorrect.

Distribution, phenology and biology (Tables 1–2, 145): An East African species that straddles the equator, being recorded from Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, almost throughout the year.

Similar species:A member of the large and widely distributed group of species possessing a poorly defined facial gibbosity. As mentioned elsewhere, the species is similar to macquartii and found sympatrically. Female specimens are difficult to identify in the absence of associated males.

Figures

Figs 89–100. Gonioscelis male genitalia. 89–91. G. nigripennis Ricardo, 1925 (Erikson’s Drift syntype), left epandrial lobe fractured. 89. Lateral. 90. Dorsal. 91. Ventral. 92–94. G. phacopterus Schiner, 1867 (Clifton). 92. Lateral. 93. Dorsal. 94. Ventral. 95–97. G. pickeri sp. n. (Biedouw valley paratype). 95. Lateral. 96. Dorsal. 97. Ventral. 98–100. G. pruinosus Ricardo, 1925 (Narok syntype). 98. Lateral. 99. Dorsal. 100. Ventral. Scale lines = 1 mm.

Fig. 145. Distribution of Gonioscelis species found north of southern Africa. closed circle = occipitalis, open circle = pruinosus, closed square = submaculatus, open square = tomentosus, closed triangle = whittingtoni.