Rhabdogaster zopheros, Londt, 2006

Londt, Jason G. H., 2006, A review of the Afrotropical genus Rhabdogaster Loew, 1858 with descriptions of new species (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae), African Invertebrates 47, pp. 243-313 : 290-291

Rhabdogaster zopheros sp. n.

Figs 122–124

Etymology: From Greek zopheros (dusky). Refers to the blackish coloration of this species.

Description: Based on holotype ơ.

Head: Black, gold-silver pruinose, black and white setose. Antenna black, setae black. Face entirely pruinose, weakly so centrally. Mystax black dorsally, white ventrally, occupying lower half of face. Frons and vertex extensively apruinose except for 2 pruinose areas above antennal insertions; ocellar setae black. Occiput entirely pruinose. Proboscis and palpi black, setae white.

Thorax: Black, gold-silver pruinose, pale yellow-white setose. Mesonotum with extensive apruinose areas including parts of postpronotal and postalar lobes, a pair of dorsomedial stripes and two large areas anterior and posterior of transverse suture. Pleura extensively pruinose except for apruinose spots on an- and katepisternum. Scutellum entirely pruinose, with approx. 6 sctl s. Postmetacoxal bridge entirely silver pruinose. Legs: entirely black; cx silver pruinose; predominantly white setose but some black setae on tibiae (ventrodistally) and tarsi (ventrally). Wing 4.4 x 1.6 mm, veins yellow-brown, membrane transparent, unstained, entirely microtrichose. Discal and costal cells entirely microtrichose.

Abdomen: Black, gold-silver pruinose, white setose. Tergites distally broadly apruinose. Sternites entirely pruinose. Terminalia ( Figs 122–124 ): epand in lateral view gradually tapering and gently downcurved distally; shorter than external lobe of gonocoxite; lobes narrowly joined proximally and converging distally; hypd heavily-built, in lateral view strongly upcurved distally and about as long as external lobe of goncx; broadly-rounded basally in ventral view, tapering to bilobed distal end. External lobe of goncx longer than epand lobe and of similar length as hypd, distal end as a long inverted u-shaped lobe; well-sclerotised long, thin, internal lobes. Gonostyli in ventral view long and straight. Aedeagus with broad dorsoventrally flattened spade-shaped apex.

Variation: Paratypes agree well with the holotype. The mystax of females may be more extensively black and paler setae may be brown.

Holotype: ơ ANGOLA: ‘Angola (A6) / Tundavala, / 9 mls. NW. Sa / da Bandeira [1400S:1510E] / 23.ii.1972 ’, ‘Southern / Arican Exp. / B.M. 1972-1.’ ( BMNH).

Paratypes: 2ơ 6^same data as holotype ( BMNH, 1ơ 1^NMSA) .

Distribution, phenology and biology (Tables 1, 2): Recorded only from the type locality in Angola. Collected in February.

Similar species: R. melas sp. n. and nyx sp. n.

Unnamed species of interest

Species A

The following unique female is interesting as it possesses distinctively marked wings, reminiscent of maculipennis , but comes from Namaqualand, a region otherwise poorly represented by Rhabdogaster records. I refrain from describing this species in the absence of a male specimen, but include the record in plotting the generic distribution ( Fig. 128 ).

SOUTH AFRICA: 1^‘R.S.A.: N Cape #94 / 21 km NE Garies / 30 ° 27'S: 18 ° 04'E 810m / Date: 27.viii.1995 / Coll: J. & A. Londt / Studers Pass Stream’ .

Species B

Two large female specimens are of interest as one is definitely from Kenya and the other probably also from that country, where only two other species are known. These specimens have distinctively marked wings unlike any other known species. A description must await better material that includes a male. The known locality is plotted in Fig. 128 .

KENYA: 1^‘ Kenya: Kajiado Dist. / Nguruman area 700m / 01 ° 50'S: 36 ° 56'E / Coll: I. Abu-Zinid / Date: 27.vi.1990 ’; 1^‘ Samburu Dist. [0346S:3917E or 0115N:3700E] / June 1944, / E. Opiko’ ( BMNH) .

Species C

A well-preserved unique female from the Krantzkloof Nature Reserve is not conspecific with other species in KwaZulu-Natal, although with its rather orange-brown wings and shiny black apruinose abdomen it is reminiscent of oresbios , known only from higher altitude (montane) areas of the province. Its identification will be clarified with the discovery of a male from the same locality. The locality is plotted in Fig. 128 .

SOUTH AFRICA: 1^‘South Africa: Natal / Kranzkloof Nat. Res. / 2930DD / Date: 8.xi.1984 / Coll: J.G.H. Londt’.

Species D

A pair of females collected at the Katani Game Reserve, Tanzania, appear to belong to an undescribed species. These specimens are unusual in having a black mystax (a character state only found in a few South African species). Clarification of the status of these specimens must await the discovery of males. The locality is plotted in Fig. 128 .

TANZANIA: 2^‘ Tanzania : 41 mi. S. / Mpanda [0543S:3047E], Katani Game / Res. 900m. 18-xi-67 / E.S. Ross & / A.R. Stephen’ ( CASC) .

Figures

Figs 116–127. Rhabdogaster species, male terminalia: (116–118) R. zebra sp. n., Capangombe holotype: (116) lateral, (117) dorsal, (118) ventral; (119–121) R. zilla sp. n., Farmer’s Brigade paratype: (119) lateral, (120) dorsal, (121) ventral; (122–124) R. zopheros sp. n., Tundavala paratype: (122) lateral, (123) dorsal, (124) ventral; (125–127) R. cinerascens (Wulp, 1899), Nr Muhail: (125) lateral, (126) dorsal, (127) ventral. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Fig. 128. African distribution of Rhabdogaster Loew, 1858 (excluding R. cinerascens).