Philodieus dubius, Ricardo, 1921

Londt, J. G. H., 1978, Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 2. * The genus Philodicus Loew, 1848, in southern Africa, ANNALS OF THE NATAL MUSEUM 23 (2), pp. 419-428 : 420-422

Phil odieus dubius Ricardo, 1921 Figs 3 , 9

Philodicus dubius Ricardo, 1921: 179 ; Blasdale, 1957: 139, PI. I, fig. 1 (♂ '), PI. II, fig. 1 (♀).

Philodicus compactus Hull, 1967: 256 --8, fig. 6 (♂ ') syn. n.

Blasdale (1957) placed P. dubius in what he calls the aleimoides group of species. This species is easily recognised as it is the largest (wing 17-19,5 mm) species in the group. The thorax is boldly marked in yellow and both light and dark brown. The abdomen is heavily banded. The left clasper and paramere of one of the males available to me has been illustrated ( Fig. 3 ) for comparison with Blasdale's (1957) illustration. The differences observed may be due to different angles of viewing, individual or geographical variation. The tip of the aedeagus ( Fig. 9 ) is trifurcate, each prong being fairly thick and less than half the length of a clasper.

Hull (1967) described P. eompaetus from a male (Tugela River) and female (Skukuza) and stated that P. eompaetus is related to P. tenuipes. As Hull's (1967) illustration of the lateral aspect of the male terminalia does not show any of the features used to separate species of Phi/odieus, Dr Danielsson (Zoological Institute, Lund, Sweden)

kindly sent me the holotype for study. This male is a typical P. dubius and therefore I regard P. eompaetus as a synonym. The female paratype has not been examined and probably it will prove to be either P. dubius or P. tenuipes .

Material studied: BOTSWANA: 2♂, Mesimaklaba (= Metsimaclaba ), V.-L. Kol. Exp., 7-12.111.1930 (N. M.). SOUTH AFRICA: Transvaal, 1 ♀, Kruger National Park , Lower Sabie Camp area, open savanna & riverbanks 9.XII.1972, B & P. Stuckenberg (N. M.). MOZAMBIQUE: 1 ♂, Quendri, B. Lebried (S. A. M.).

Type material: SOUTH AFRICA: Natal , 1 ♂, 1 ♀ (syntypes), M'Fongosi , Zululand, W. E. Jones , 111.1911 (S.A.M.) (not studied).

Types of P. eompaetus are from SOUTH AFRICA: Natal, I ♂ holotype, Tugela River, 12 mi., N.W. Bergville, 31.111. 1951, loc. no. 255, Brinck & Rudebeck (E. M.L.); Transvaal, I ♀ paratype, Kruger National Park, Skukuza, 29.1 V. 1951 loc. no. 283, Brinck & Rudebeck (E.M. L.).

As Ricardo (1921) did not designate a holotype and Blasdale (I 957) did not erect a lectotype I hereby select the M'Fongosi male in the S.A. M., determined by Ricardo, as lectotype and the female as paralectotype. Dr V. B. Whitehead informs me that there are an additional 3 ♂ 3 ♀ in the S.A.M. bearing the same data as the syntypes. These specimens were apparently not studied by Ricardo.

Prey: The Kruger Park female is pinned together with its prey, which is another species of Philodieus ( P. tenuipes ). Presumably the large size of P. dubius allows it to feed on smaller AsiJidae.

Figures

Figs 3-8. Ventral aspect of left clasper and paramere ofPhilodicus species. 3. P. dubills (Metsimaklaba d'). 4. P. tenuipes (Hillside ♂). 5. P. cinerascens (Namalala ♂). 6. P. swynnertoni (Nelspruit d'). 7-8. P. Jraterculus. 7. Pretoria ♂ 8. Empangeni ♂.

Figs 9-14. Aedeagal tips of Phi/adieus species. 9. P. dubius (Metsimaklaba J). 10. P. tenuipes (Hillside J). II. P. cineraseens (Namalala J). 12. P. swynnertani (Nelspruit 0). 13-14. P. /ratercu/us. 13. Pretoria 0. 14. Empangeni 0.