Congomochtherus acuminatus Oldroyd, 1974

Jason G. H. Londt, 2014, The Afrotropical Robber Fly Genus Congomochtherus Oldroyd, 1979 (Diptera: Asilidae: Asilinae), African Invertebrates 55 (2), pp. 333-350 : 335-336

Congomochtherus acuminatus Oldroyd, 1974

Figs 5 , 17

Congomochtherus acuminatus Oldroyd, 1974: 151 ; Londt & Tsacas 1987: 31 (figs 5-10 ♂ terminalia).

Previously recorded material: Oldroyd (1974) recorded type material as follows: 'Type in London [BMNH]. Type-locality: ANGOLA (A37), 8 km N.E. Negola [c. 14°08'S 14°30'E, c. 1610 m], 25.iii.1972 (B.M. S. Afr. Exped., 1972).' He also lists under Distribution '2♂ 2♀ from type-locality; 1♀ from ANGOLA (A40): Tundavala [?], 13-16 km N.W. Sa da Bandeira [c. 14°01'S 15°11'E, c. 1505 m], 2 7-29.iii.1972.'

Londt & Tsacas (1987) listed the following material: NAMIBIA: 1♂, Kavango, Andara, 1821AB [c. 18°03'44"S 21°26'35"E, c. 1030 m], 20-25.viii.1971. H 3331 (NMNW); 1♂ 1♀, Popa Falls, 1 8°07'S 21°31'E, [c. 980 m], 26-31.viii.1971, H 4035 (NMSA). ZAMBIA: 1♀, Haut Zambeze, Lealui [c. 15°13'S 23°01'E c. 1020 m], Ellenberger, 1915 (MNHN).

Newly recorded material: NAMIBIA: 1♀, Kavango, Andara [details identical to above record] (NMSA); 1♀, Popa Falls [details identical to above record] (NMSA); 1♂, Kavango, Camp Popa, 18°07'S 21°34'E, [c. 1010 m], 28.ii -5.iii.1994, Schumann (NMSA).

Distribution ( Fig. 17 ), phenology ( Table 1 ) and biology: Known essentially from five localities in southern Angola (2), northern Namibia (2) and western Zambia (1). I have no personal experience of collecting this species, but all the localities appear to coincide with rivers. The type locality, Negola, lies at the foot of a mountain range (with a high point of c. 1960 m) and any rainfall over these mountains runs off in a southeasterly direction via a number of small streams. It was probably along one of these (8 km NE of Negola) that the majority of type material was collected. The other Angolan locality, Tundavala, cannot be traced. There is, however, a populated place called Tundava which may be the place referred to on the label, but without certainty nothing can be deduced. The two Namibian localities of Andara and Popa Falls lie a short distance from each other and from the Cuito River which forms the boundary between Namibia and Angola. There can be little doubt that the specimens were collected along the river, probably resting on rocks like most species of the genus. The single Zambian record is for the small populated place called Lealui, which lies at the confluence of two rivers that drain the Liuwa Plain to the north, and which lies to the north of the Barotse Flood Plain not far from the main centre of Mongu. Again it is reasonable to suggest that the specimen was collected on the banks of one of the rivers that converge on Lealui. The species has been collected in August and March ( Table 1 ), and so it can be postulated that this is a summer-active species. Nothing is known of its biology.

Figures

Fig. 17. Southern African distribution of Congomochtherus Oldroyd 1979: C. acuminatus Oldroyd, 1974 (circles); C. elferinki Londt & Tsacas, 1987 (squares); C. inachus Londt & Tsacas, 1987 (triangles); C. potamius Londt & Tsacas, 1987 (diamond).

Figs 5-11.Congomochtherus ♂ terminalia (lateral):(5) C. acuminatus Oldroyd, 1974; (6) C. elferinki Londt & Tsacas, 1987; (7) C. inachus Londt & Tsacas, 1987; (8) C. lobatus Oldroyd, 1970; (9) C. oldroydi Londt & Tsacas, 1987; (10) C. penicillatus (Speiser, 1910); (11) C. potamius Londt & Tsacas, 1987 (Scale bars = 1 mm).

Tables

TABLE 1 Phenology of Congomochtherus species. Months - starting from July.

Sp. / Month	J	A	S	O	N	D	J	F	M	A	M	J
acuminatus	-	•	-	-	-	-	-	-	•	-	-	-
elferinki	-	-	-	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	-	-
inachus	-	-	•	•	•	•	-	-	-	-	-	-
lobatus	•	•	-	•	•	•	-	•	-	•	•	-
oldroydi	-	-	-	-	•	-	-	•	-	-	-	-
penicillatus	-	-	-	•	•	•	•	•	-	•	•	-
potamius	-	-	-	-	-	-	•	•	-	-	-	-
No.	1	2	1	4	5	4	3	5	2	3	2	0