Euscelidia picta, Dikow, 2003

Dikow, Torsten, 2003, Revision of the genus Euscelidia Westwood, 1850 (Diptera: Asilidae: Leptogastrinae), African Invertebrates 44 (2), pp. 1-131 : 94

Euscelidia picta sp. n.

Figs 54 , 59

Etymology: Latin adjective picta = coloured; refers to the orange-red and black coloration of the thorax.

Diagnosis: The species is distinguished from congeners by the antero-lateral orange-red coloration of the sct, the few microtrichia on the wings, and features of the ơ terminalia (hypd bent upwards and divided into two lobes, lat pr aed short, extending gonp).

Description: Head: Black; fc silver pruinose, fc gib indistinct, mystax white, 9 macrosetae; prob and plp brown-black, setae white; oc tr apruinose; occ silver pruinose, brownish pruinose medially, setae white; Antennae - scp brown, white setae ventrally, white pruinose; ped brown, white setae ventrally and brown setae dorsally, white pruinose; pped brown, white pruinose proximally and ventrally; apsel brown.

Thorax: Black and orange; ppro peg small, distinct, silver pruinose; sct predominantly black, antero-laterally orange, brown pruinose medially, silver pruinose laterally, 2 antero-lateral spots apruinose, white setae on margins; macrosetae: 1 white npl s, 1 black spal s; sctl silver pruinose, ds sctl s and sctl s long, white; Legs - yellow to brown; coxae white pruinose; fem yellow proximally, brown distad, setae white, meta fem clubbed; tib brown, pale yellow stripe not reaching tip on meta tib anteriorly; first tar yellow, brown distad, remaining tar brown, setae black; emp short, distinct; Wings - hyaline, slightly brown stained, few microtrichia in distal half; ptero distinct, brown; cell d terminating in 2 veins; hlt yellow.

Abdomen: Black; T predominantly brown pruinose, anterior, lateral, and posterior margins grey pruinose, T1 with long brown setae laterally, T 2 in proximal third with white setae laterally, remaining T with short white and yellow setae, S grey pruinose; ơ terminalia Fig. 54 - sur pointed distally, lobe ventrally; hypd bent upwards, divided into 2 lobes; d aed shea short, lat pr short, extending gonp; lat apod simple.

Type material - The ơ holotype is labelled ‘Nyassa-See Langenburg 8.5.99 [8.v.1899] Fülleborn S. (blue label, date handwritten) / HOLOTYPE Euscelidia picta sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (red label)’. The specimen is directly mounted, is in good condition (right meso leg broken, abdomen proximally cracked; ơ terminalia attached to specimens pin in micro vial), and is deposited in the ZMHB.

Type locality and distribution ( Fig. 59 ): Tanzania , Lake Malawi, Lumbria (former Old Langenburg), northern shore of Lake Malawi, 934'S 34 07'E. Tanzania .

Figures

Fig. 54. ơ terminalia Euscelidia picta sp. n. A. Dorsal. B. Ventral. C. Lateral. D. Hypandrium posterior. E. Aedeagus lateral. Scale line = 1 mm.

Fig. 59. Distribution. Euscelidia adusta sp. n., triangle; E. atrata sp. n., star; E. picta sp. n., hexagon; E. pulchra sp. n., circles.