Notioiaphria africana, Londt, 1977

Loodt, J. G. H., 1977, Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 1. The genus Choerades Walker, 1851 and the descriptions of two new genera, Nannolaphria and Notiolaphria, from southern Africa and Malagasy Republic *, ANNALS OF THE NATAL MUSEUM 23, pp. 43-55 : 53-55

Notioiaphria africana sp. n. Figs 16-19

Diagnosis: Similar to N. macra . Thoracic markings faint; microsetal distribution confined to distal half of wing only; gonopods of male narrowly rounded distally and lacking the finger-like projection characteristic of N. macra .

Description: Based on 3 ♂ 3♀ pinned.

Holotype male: Head: Lateral aspect ( Fig. 17 ) similar to N. macra except: Face more inflated; mystax composed of long black setae overlayed by numerous long, dorso-ventrally flattened, shiny, gold setae. Proboscis as long as antenna.

Thorax: Mesonotum and scutellum shiny black with a dark, greenish-blue, metallic appearance. Wing ( Fig. 16 ) as in N. macra but distribution of microsetae confined to distal half of wing.

Abdomen: Terga and sterna shiny black with the same dark, greenish-blue, metallic appearance as the mesonotum and scutellum. Two long black macrosetae on T2, other terga lack lateral macrosetae. Genital bulb ( Figs 18-19 ) elongate oval, rotated through 180°, claspers and pseudoclaspers as in N. macra ; gonopods narrowly rounded distally and lacking the characteristic finger-like projections seen in N. macra .

Dimensions: Body length 9,3 mm; wing length 8,3 mm; width of head across eyes 3,6 mm; antenna length I, [mm; proboscis length 1,2 mm.

Paratypes: 2 ♂ 3♀ Agree with holotype. Females have fewer and shorter gold setae in mystax. Dimensions: Body length ♂ 9,5-10,0 mm, ♀ 8,5-10,5 mm; wing length ♂ 7,5-8,0 mm, ♀ 7,5-8,5 mm.

Type specimens: (N. M. T2101) MOZAMBIQUE: Holotype ♂ and 2♂ paratypes, Gorongoza Mountain , Manica Sofala Dist., Port. East Africa , 840 m, gallery forest, IX.1957, Stuckenberg. RHODESIA: 2♀ paratypes, Mt Selinda, 3.II. l954, N. 1. Myers ; 1♀ paratype, N. Vumba , 19.XI. l964, D. Cookson. (All specimens in Natal Mus.)

Remarks: Oldroyd labelled the above specimens 'Stands in B. M. drawer 141 as coerulescens Macq.? n. gen. et sp.?' As coerulescens was described as a species of Laphria and these specimens lack the characteristic laterally flattened proboscis of Laphria there is no doubt that they are not Laphria or Choerades . N. ajricana possesses a genitalial form very similar to N. macra and clearly belongs to the same genus.

Figures

Figs 16- 19. Notiolaphria africana gen. et sp. n. (N. M. T2101) Holotype 0'. 16. Right wing. 17. Lateral aspect of head. 18-19. Genital bulb. 18. Lateral aspect. 19. Dorsal aspect (Note: Genital bulb, normally rotated through 180°, is drawn as ifunrotated) Abbreviations: A = aedeagus, C = clasper, E = epandrium, G = gonopod, H hypandrium, Pc = pseudoclasper. Pr = proctiger.