Euscelidia pallasii (Wiedemann, 1818)

Dikow, Torsten, 2003, Revision of the genus Euscelidia Westwood, 1850 (Diptera: Asilidae: Leptogastrinae), African Invertebrates 44 (2), pp. 1-131 : 91-92

Euscelidia pallasii (Wiedemann, 1818)

Figs 4A–B, D , 7A , 52E–H , 53

Leptogaster pallasii Wiedemann, 1818: 57 .

Leptogaster conopsoides (Pallas in Wiedemann, 1818), a collection name.

Euscelidia pallasii, Hull 1962: 305 (as junior synonym of conopsoides ); Lehr 1988: 266.

Leptogaster pubiceps Loew, 1871: 70 .

Euscelidia pubiceps, Hermann 1926: 147 ; Hull 1962: 305 (as junior synonym of conopsoides ); Lehr 1988:

266 (as junior synonym of pallasii ).

Diagnosis: The species is distinguished from congeners by the predominantly apruinose sct, the distinct alveoli on the sct, and the darkened wings.

Redescription: Head: Black; fc silver pruinose, fc gib indistinct, mystax white, many macrosetae; oc tr white pruinose dorsally; occ silver pruinose, setae white; Antennae - scp light brown, setae white; ped light brown, white or brown setae ventrally and dorsally, white pruinose; pped light brown, white pruinose; apsel yellow; Thorax: Black; sct predominantly apruinose, margins silver pruinose, sometimes grey pruinosity extending onto sct antero-laterally, macrosetae: white, 1 npl s, 1 spal s; sctl silver pruinose, ds sctl s and sctl s short, white; Legs - yellow to brown; pro and meso fem yellow proximally, brown distad, meta fem pale yellow proximally, distal half brown, clubbed; pro and meso tib light brown, yellow stripe anteriorly, meta tib in proximal half yellow, distal half brown, pale yellow stripe not reaching tip anteriorly; emp short, about a quarter of length of clw; Wings - densely covered with microtrichia, proximal 2/3 brown stained, distal third more greyish; ptero distinct, brown; cell d terminating in 2 veins; hlt yellow to brown; Abdomen: Brown; T predominantly brown pruinose, anterior and posterior margins grey pruinose,T 2 in proximal half apruinose, T1 with black setae, T 2 in proximal half with few white setae laterally, remaining T with white or brown setae, S grey pruinose; ơ terminalia Figs 52E–H - sur pointed distally, lobe ventrally; hypd ventral margin straight, with triangular sclerite distally; d aed shea tubular, medium length; lat apod bifurcated.

Type material - The syntype (s) of Leptogaster pallasii has to be considered lost. I was unable to locate the depository for the specimen(s).

The ơ holotype of Leptogaster pubiceps is labelled ‘ Epirus Erber (handwritten) / Leptogaster pubiceps Lw. (handwritten) / 9970 / [small violet square] / [blue square] / Coll. H. Loew / Holotypus (red label with black border)’. The specimen is directly mounted, is in very good condition (tip of right wing broken), and is deposited in the ZMHB.

Type locality and distribution ( Fig. 53 ): Wiedemann mentioned ‘campis australibus rarior’ as the type locality. It can be translated as ‘rare in the southern plains’ and might refer to southern Russia – an area probably comprising southern European Russia and the Ukraine (Dr A. Pont pers. com.). Greece,? Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkey, Turkmenistan,? Ukraine. Additionally to the specimens examined the species is known to occur in Anatolia, Turkey (Janssens 1968 a) and former Yugoslavia (pers. com. Dr M. Hradsky). Material examined: GREECE: 12^^ 33ơơ 1? Peloponnesus Island, Monemvasia, 3640'N 23 03'E, 11.vii.1980, 1–8.vii.1982, 19.iii., 2+7+16+26+28.vii., 26–31.viii., 8+ 16.ix.1983, 10.ii., 25.vi., 3.vii., 11+17.ix., 6+ 11.x. 1984, 24+28.vi., 6.vii.1985, 16.vi.1986, 6.vii., 6.viii., 6.ix.1991; 1^ 2ơơ Attica, approximately 3915'N 23 30'E; KAZAKHSTAN or RUSSIA: 2^ Sarepta (there are several Sarepta in Kazakhstan as well as in Russia); TURKEY: 1^ 2ơơ 1? Istanbul, 4104'N 28 57'E, 9+ 10.vii.1962; 1ơ Amasya, 4039'N 35 49'E, 1.viii.1960; TURKMENISTAN: 1 ơ Tedshen , 3723'N 6030'E, 26.v.1964. Depository : BMNH, NHMW, USNM, ZMUC .

Remarks: In the original description Wiedemann (1818) described the circumstances how the specific name pallasii was derived. Pallas probably labelled the original specimen Asilus conopsoides . Wiedemann realised that this name was preoccupied by Fabricius (1775). Therefore, he described the species as Leptogaster pallasii (he himself wrote the description in stating ‘ mihi ’ following the species name). In the comments section he apparently mixed the generic name Asilus with Dioctria , which might have led to confusion. Hull (1962) listed conopsoides as a valid species described by Pallas in Wiedemann, 1818. Lehr (1988) referred to Pallas’ species conopsoides as a collection name only. I consider the specific name pallasii as the valid name.

Figures

Fig. 4. Aedeagi. A, B, D. Euscelidia pallasii. A. Lateral. B. Dorsal. D. Anterior. C, F. E. pulchra sp. n. C. Lateral. F. Dorsal. E, G. E. splendida sp. n. E. Lateral. G. Dorsal. Scale lines = 100 m.

Fig. 7. Surstyli lateral. A. Euscelidia pallasii. B. E. natalensis sp. n. C. E. bequaerti. D. E. acuminata sp. n. E. E. splendida sp. n. F. E. longibifida sp. n. Scale lines = 100 m.

Fig. 52. ơ terminalia. A–D. Euscelidia obudu sp. n. A. Dorsal. B. Ventral. C. Lateral. D. Aedeagus lateral. E–H. E. pallasii. E. Aedeagus lateral. F. Dorsal. G. Ventral. H. Lateral. Scale line = 1 mm.

Fig. 53. Distribution. Euscelidia nitida, triangle; E. pallasii, squares.