Euscelidia fistula, Dikow, 2003

Dikow, Torsten, 2003, Revision of the genus Euscelidia Westwood, 1850 (Diptera: Asilidae: Leptogastrinae), African Invertebrates 44 (2), pp. 1-131 : 61-62

Euscelidia fistula sp. n.

Figs 14 , 33F–K

Etymology: Latin noun fistula = tube, pipe; refers to the tubular dorsal aedeagal sheath.

Diagnosis: The species is distinguished from congeners by the predominantly apruinose sct, the densely arranged microtrichia on the wings, and features of the ơ terminalia (d aed shea tubular, hypd bent upwards).

Description: Head: Black; fc silver pruinose, fc gib indistinct, mystax white, many macrosetae; prob black, setae white, plp brown, setae brown; oc tr apruinose; occ silver pruinose, setae white and yellowish; Antennae - scp brown, white setae ventrally, white pruinose; ped brown, brown setae ventrally and dorsally, white pruinose; pped brown, white pruinose; apsel brown.

Thorax: Black; ppro peg large, silver pruinose; sct predominantly apruinose, silver pruinosity restricted to anterior, lateral, and posterior margins (sometimes antero-lateral margin apruinose), white setae on pruinose part, yellow setae scattered on apruinose surface; presut dc setae sometimes distinct, macrosetae: 1 white or black npl s, 1 black spal s; sctl white pruinose, ds sctl s and sctl s long, yellow or brown; Legs - yellow to brown; fem light brown, meta fem slightly clubbed, pale yellow proximally, narrow longitudinal dark brown to black stripe laterally, setae white; pro and meso tib light brown, pale yellow stripe anteriorly, meta tib light brown, pale yellow stripe not reaching tip anteriorly, black longitudinal stripes laterally; tar 1–3 light brown, brown distad, remaining tar brown, setae black; emp minute; Wings - densely covered with microtrichia; ptero distinct, brown; cell d terminating in 2 veins; hlt light brown.

Abdomen: Black; T sometimes orange on anterior and posterior margins, predominantly brown pruinose, anterior, lateral, and posterior margins narrowly grey pruinose, T1 with long yellow and brown setae laterally, T2 with white setae laterally, remaining T with yellow and brown setae, S grey pruinose; ơ terminalia Figs 33F–K - sur pointed distally, lobe ventrally; hypd bent upwards, divided into 2 short lobes; d aed shea tubular, medium length; lat apod simple.

Type material - The ơ holotype is labelled ‘Johannesburg Transvaal leg. Zumpt / E. Janssens det., 1956 Euscelidia festiva E. Janssens (handwritten except for ‘E. Janssens det., 195’) / HOLOTYPE Euscelidia fistula sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (red label)’. The specimen is double mounted (attached to rectangular piece of cardboard), is in very good condition (ơ terminalia attached to specimens pin in micro vial), and is deposited in the ISNB.

A ^ paratype is labelled ‘ SOUTH AFRICA 2527CC Transvaal nr. Derby 3.II.1978 JGH. Londt Open grassveld area / PARATYPE Euscelidia fistula sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (yellow label)’. The specimen is directly mounted, is in excellent condition, and is deposited in the NMSA . A ^paratype is labelled ‘SUID-AFRIKA Potch [Potchefstroom] 7-1-1943 H. P.V. HEERDEN (‘ Potch’ and date handwritten) / PARATYPE Euscelidia fistula sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (yellow label)’. The specimen is double mounted (minuten in rectangular piece of cardboard), is in very good condition, and is deposited in the NMSA . A paratype of undeterminable gender is labelled ‘PRETORIA 13.II.1957 L. Vari (date handwritten) / collection TRANSVAAL MUSEUM (blue label) / Euscelidia sp. det. H. Oldroyd 1973 (handwritten except for ‘det. H. Oldroyd 19’) / PARATYPE Euscelidia fistula sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (yellow label)’. The specimen is directly mounted, is in good condition (left meta leg and abdomen from third segment broken), and is deposited in the NMSA . A ^ paratype is labelled ‘ ZIMBABWE: 2028 AD Matopos National Park Jan. 1977 Coll: Mr Fox / PARATYPE Euscelidia fistula sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (yellow label)’. The specimen is directly mounted, is in relatively poor condition (left meta leg broken, abdomen damaged, specimen greasy), and is deposited in the NMSA .

Type locality and distribution ( Fig. 14 ): South Africa, Gauteng Province , Johannesburg, 2612'S 28 02'E. South Africa, Zimbabwe .

Material examined: SOUTH AFRICA: Northern Prov: 1? Marico, 2413'S 2654'E, ii.1918 [specimen in very poor condition]. Depository: BMNH .

Figures

Fig. 14. Distribution. Euscelidia bechuana sp. n., pentagons; E. fistula sp. n., squares; E. longibifida sp. n., circles; E. peteraxi sp. n., triangles.

Fig. 33. ơ terminalia. A–E. Euscelidia festiva. A. Dorsal. B. Ventral. C. Lateral. D. Aedeagus lateral. E. Aedeagus dorsal. F–K. E. fistula sp. n. F. Hyapndrium posterior. G. Aedeagus lateral. H. Dorsal. I. Ventral. K. Lateral. Scale lines = 1 mm.