Pachylophus frontalis Loew, 1858

Deeming, John C., 2018, A revision of the Afrotropical species of Pachylophus Loew (Diptera: Chloropidae) and some related Ovoviviparous genera, Zootaxa 4482 (1), pp. 1-51 : 11

Pachylophus frontalis Loew, 1858

( Plate 14 , Figs 72, 73)

Pachylophus frontalis Loew, 1858: 121

Described from South Africa and further recorded from Rhodesia. Becker's (1913: 147) record from Ethiopia is discounted by Sabrosky (1980: 710).

Spencer (1985: 179) reported finding a first instar larva in the abdomen of a female from Kenya. His specimen, which is in NHMUK and labelled "Nairobi, Kilimagui, 19.iv.1983 ", has its abdomen and larva preserved in euparal on a micromount attached to it, and transpires to be P. femoratus . There has been much confusion between these two species. Andersson's (1977: 124) description of P. frontalis is correct, but the series in NHMUK standing under this species name is a mixture of the two. Those specimens bearing determination labels are as follows: 1♂ Natal, Durban, F. Muir correctly det. C.G. Lamb; 2♀ Natal, Weenen, vi–vii.1923, H.P. Thomasset correctly det. G.E. Bryant; 1♂, Natal, Weenen, xi.1929, H.P. Thomasset; 1♀, Weenen, i.1924, thorn country, H.P. Thomasset; 1♀, Natal, Amarzimtoti, x.1931, J. Ogilvie all correctly det. C.W. Sabrosky; 1♂, E. Cape Prov., Katberg, 4000 ft., xii.1932, R.E. Turner; 1♂, Natal National Park, iii.1932, A. Mackie; 1♀, Meru, vii.1943, van Someron all det. C.W. Sabrosky are P. femoratus . The main difference between the two species being of pleural dusting, in specimens that had the pleura either rubbed or dirty misidentification could be all too easy.

Material: 3♂ 5♀, KENYA: N. of Nakura, Molo, 17.xii.1970, A.E. Stubbs ( NHMUK) ; 3♂ 4♀, Kasarani, 10– 11.viii.1989, J.W. Ismay ( NMWC) ; l ♀, same data ( OUM) ; 4♂ 7♀, 15km NNE of Nanyuki , 00°08'N 37°10'E, 9.iii.1970, (X345) ; 4♂ 2♀, same data but 29.iii.1970, (X347), M.v. Tschirnhaus ( ZSM) ; 3♂ 1♀, UGANDA: Serere, 26.i.1973, J . L. Overman; 1♂ same data but 14.i.1973 ; 4♀, SOUTH AFRICA: Oribi Gorge , river, 30°41.49'S 30°16.8'E, 16.x.1999, D . P. Sumner; 2♂ 1♀ Natal, 25km W. of Winterton, 16.ix.1983, A. Freidberg (all in NMWC) ; 1♂1♀, Natal, Balgowan, 21.vii.1956, B. Stuckenberg ; 1♂ 4♀, Natal, Drakensberg, Giants Castle Res., 5800 ft., 18– 23.ix.1961, B . & P. Stuckenberg ( NMP); 2♂ 1♀, Drakensberge , 7–8.ii.1994, H . Schumann ( HUB); 1♂, Natal, Nagel Dam , Umgeni River, xii.1959, B . & P. Stuckenberg ( NMP); 7♂ 8♀, Cape Province, Swellendam, Bontebok Nat. P., 2–3.i.1993, F . Koch ; 1♀, same data but 13–15.x.1993 ; ♀ same data but 14–16.xi.1993 ; 1♀, same locality, 21–23.iv.1995, U. Göllner ; 1♂, Cape Province, Grahamstown, 28.xii.1992, F. Koch (all in HUB) .

Figures

PLATE 14. Figs 68–73. Pachylophus spp. 68, P. pollinosus sp. n., frons; 69, same, habitus; 70, P. stuckenbergi sp. n., frons; 71, same, habitus; 72, P. frontalis Loew, frons; 73, same, habitus.