Oligopogon zulu, Londt, 2014

Londt, Jason G. H., 2014, A revision of Afrotropical Oligopogon Loew, 1847 (Diptera: Asilidae) with the description of eighteen new species, African Invertebrates 55 (2), pp. 269-269 : 311-312

Oligopogon zulu sp. n.

Figs 2E, 9, 35

Etymology: Refers to the fact that all material is from an area of KwaZulu-Natal north of the Tugela River known as Zululand.

Description:

Head: Dark red-brown to black, red-gold and silver pruinose, extensively black setose. Antenna: Dark red-brown. Segmental ratios: 1:1.3:2.5:3.8 (scape, pedicel, postpedicel, style). Scape and pedicel of similar development, black setose. Postpedicel short, circular in cross-section, tapering distally. Style long, of similar diameter to distal end of postpedicel, equipped with long black setae projecting from all surfaces. Face and vertex silver pruinose, frons fine red-gold pruinose, mystax black, ocellar macrosetae black. Occiput silver pruinose except for two moderately large, bean-shaped, apruinose areas midway between dorsal eye margin and cervical region (see Fig. 2E), black setose dorsally, white ventrally. Face to head width ratio in anterior view 1: 3.8 (face narrower than one eye). Proboscis dark red-brown, straight, white setose. Palpi minute, 2-segmented, white setose.

Thorax: Dark red-brown to black, extensively red-gold and silver pruinose, predominantly black setose. Mesonotum: Extensively pruinose with following apruinose areas: postpronotal lobes, a pair of narrow medial stripes that almost reach anterior margin but fall far short of posterior margin, a pair of transversely oval spots anterior to transverse suture, a pair of large posterolateral areas. 2 black npl, 1 black spal (other macrosetae weakly developed), general setae longish red-brown. Scutellum dark red-brown, apruinose except for narrow anterior margin, fine dark red-brown setose (apical macrosetae poorly differentiated). Pleura fairly uniformly silver pruinose. Katatergal setae pale yellow-white. Legs: Coxae dark red-brown, silver pruinose, whitish setose. Trochanters dark red-brown, white setose. Femora dark red-brown, predominantly white setose (few dark red-brown macrosetae). Tibiae orange-brown, slightly paler proximally, mostly dark red-brown setose. Tarsi orange-brown, mixed dark red-brown and pale yellow-white setose. Wings: 3.4 × 1.2 mm (holotype) (♀ generally bigger eg. 3.9 × 1.4mm). Veins pale yellow-brown. Membrane transparent, unstained, partly microtrichose in following areas – distal ⅓ of r 1 and r 2+3, most of r 4, along distal margins and down centres of r 5 m 1 m 2 m 3 and weakly along margin of cua 1, proximal cells without microtrichia ( Fig. 9).

Abdomen: Terga dark red-brown to black, largely apruinose except for strong silver pruinose anterolateral margins, white setose. Sterna dark red-brown, silver pruinose except for posterolateral regions, white setose.

♂ and ♀ terminalia dark red-brown.

Holotype: SOUTH AFRICA: 1♂ ‘ South Africa , Natal Prov / Zululand; 20 mi. S. Ndumu [= Ndumo] / Game Res. Camp (2732Aa) / Nov. 29, 1971; ME& BJ Irwin / dry scrub forest; 320 ft’ ( NMSA).

Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: 1♂ ‘ South Africa: Natal / Ndumu Game Reserve / Rest Camp 2632 Cd 95m / 23–9:xi:1977 Malaise / Brothers & J. Guillarmod’; 1♂ Ozabeni, KwaMbila section northern St Lucia , 2732DA, 4–5.iii.2006, Davies, coastal grassland, sweepnet; 3♀ ‘ RSA, E. KwaZulu-Natal NE / Ndumo, W border Tembe / Elephant park, 80m / 29.12.2007 – 9.i.2008 / lgt. M. Snižek, Maputoland’; 2♀ Ndumu Game Reserve , 26°54'S 32°17'E, 130m, 15–17.ii.2011, Miller, Staff house, mixed Acacia woodland; 4♂ 5♀ data as for holotype ( NMSA, BMNH 1♂ 1♀, CASC 1♂ 1♀); 1♀ ‘ Ndumu Reserve [26°55'S 32°15'E] / Ingwavuma District / Tongaland, S. Africa / B. & P. Stuckenberg / 1–10 December 1963 ’; 1♀ ‘ South Africa KZ-Natal / Tembe Elephant Park [27°03'S 32°25'E] Sand / Forest; 21–22.xi.2004; / G.B.P. Davies’; 2♀ 1? ‘ RSA, Kwazulu Natal NE / Jozini, Tembe / Elephant Park env. / (W border), 30.11.2002 / lgt. M. Snižek’; 1? ‘ Mkuzi Game / Reserve [27°38'S 32°15'E], S. Afr. / Jan. 1949 / H.K. Munro’ ( SANC) .

Distribution ( Table 1), phenology (Table 2) and biology: The species is known only from a small region in the northern parts of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa ( Fig. 35). It has been collected in November through to January. The habitat is dominated by woodland savanna.

EXCLUDED SPECIES

The following species is considered incertae sedis.