Euscelidia hesperia, Dikow, 2003

Dikow, Torsten, 2003, Revision of the genus Euscelidia Westwood, 1850 (Diptera: Asilidae: Leptogastrinae), African Invertebrates 44 (2), pp. 1-131 : 68-69

Euscelidia hesperia sp. n.

Figs 29, 38

Etymology: Latin adjective hesperius = western; refers to the distribution in western Africa.

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

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

Thorax: Black; ppro peg small, distinct, silver pruinose; sct predominantly apruinose, grey pruinosity restricted to anterior, lateral, and posterior margins, yellow setae with distinct alveoli scattered on surface, leaving 2 narrow, median longitudinal stripes, fused distally and not reaching posterior margin, and 2 lateral spots, uncovered; macrosetae reduced (holotype with only 1 brown spal s); sctl yellow pruinose, ds sctl s and sctl s long, yellow; Legs - yellow to brown; pro and meso fem light brown, brown on distal tip, meta fem pale yellow proximally, light brown distally, slightly clubbed; pro and meso tib brown, pale yellow stripe not reaching tip anteriorly, meta tib yellow in proximal half, distal half brown; first tar yellow, brown distad, remaining tar brown, setae black; emp very short, distinct; Wings - few microtrichia in proximal half, cell d with only few microtrichia along margins, densely covered with microtrichia in distal half, brown stained along veins; ptero distinct, brown; cell d terminating in 2 veins; hlt light brown.

Abdomen: Black; T2–3 grey pruinose, T4–8 brown pruinose medially, anterior, lateral, and posterior margins grey pruinose, T2 anteriorly with apruinose spot, T1 with long white 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. 38 - sur pointed distally, lobe dorsally and ventrally; hypd bent upwards; d aed shea tubular, medium length, v aed shea forming a plate; lat apod bifurcated.

Type material - The ơ holotype is labelled ‘W-Africa: Gambia: ca. 29–33 km W’ Soma: Tendaba-Batelling BARKEMEYER 30.9.1987 (‘30.9.’ handwritten) Wegesrand (Felder, Gebüsch u.a.) (handwritten on backside of label) / HOLOTYPUS Euscelidia hesperia sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (red label)’. The specimen is double mounted (minuten in block of foam), is in relatively good condition (right meta leg broken and specimen greasy; ơ terminalia attached to specimens pin in micro vial), and is deposited in the NMSA .

A ^ paratype is labelled ‘W-Africa: Gambia: Banjul: Bund Road (SE-Bereich) BARKEMEYER 25.9.1987 (‘25.9.’ handwritten) / PARATYPE Euscelidia hesperia

A B C

D E

sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (yellow label)’. The specimen is double mounted (minuten in block of foam), is in very good condition, and is deposited in the NMSA . A ^ paratype is labelled ‘W-Africa: Gambia: ca. 30 km W’ Soma : Duntu Malang Bolon (N’ Gambia River) BARKEMEYER 28.9.1987 (‘28.9.’ handwritten) aufgegebene Felder bei verlassenem Dorf, z.T. feucht (handwritten on backside of label) / PARATYPE Euscelidia hesperia sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (yellow label)’. The specimen is double mounted (minuten in block of foam), is in good condition (left pped broken), and is deposited in the NMSA .

Type locality and distribution (Fig. 29): The Gambia , Tendaba, 13 26'N 15 49'W. The Gambia, Senegal .

Material examined: SENEGAL: 4^^ Tambacounda, 13 45'N 13 40'W, 6.ix.1979 [all specimens greasy]. Depository: MRAC .

Figures

Fig. 38. ơ terminalia of Euscelidia hesperia sp. n. A. Dorsal. B. Ventral. C. Lateral. D. Hypandrium posterior. E. Aedeagus lateral. F. Aedeagus dorsal. Scale line = 1 mm.