Tsacasiella futilis (Tsacas, 1969)

Londt, Jason G. H., 2002, Afrotropical Asilinae (Asilidae): A provisional key to genera, with a review of the status of Neomochtherus Osten Sacken, 1878, and descriptions of new genera and species, African Invertebrates 43, pp. 11-92 : 57

Tsacasiella futilis (Tsacas, 1969) ( Figs 203–209 )

Neomochtherus futilis Tsacas, 1969: 16–18 .

Tsacasiella futilis ; Lehr, 1996: 73.

Neomochtherus notatus Tsacas, 1969:27–28 . Syn. n.

Type material: DR CONGO: Holotype 1ơ, allotype 1^, paratypes 6ơ 11^ [ futilis not seen]: Kadjudju, Lac Kivu [0200S:2910E], Congo (Kinshasa), Aout ( MNHN); Paratype: 1ơ, [ futilis seen], ‘Mai | Juin’, ‘ Congo Belge / Rég. Lac Kivu / Kadjudju’, ‘Muséum Paris / 1932 / G. Babault’, ‘Paratype’, ‘ Neomochtherus / futilis n. sp. / L. Tsacas Det. 1966’ ( NMHN); Paratype: 1ơ [ futilis seen], ‘Aout’, ‘ Congo Belge / Rég. Lac Kivu / Kadjudju’, ‘Muséum Paris / Congo Belge / Guy Babault 1929’, ‘Paratype’, ‘ Neomochtherus / futilis n. sp. / L. Tsacas Det. 1965’ ( NMHN). Holotype: DR CONGO: 1ơ [ notatus seen], ‘ Congo Belge / Rég. Lac Kivu / Kadjudju’, ‘Muséum Paris / 1932 / G. Babault’, ‘Type’, ‘ Neomochtherus / notatus n. sp. / Holotype ơ / L. Tsacas Det. 1967’ ( NMHN).

Material examined: KENYA: 1ơ, Nakuru, Hell’s Gate Nat. Park , 00 ° 57'S: 36 ° 19'E, 1900 m, 26.xi.1992, Whittington & Londt, Ngorowa Gorge, stream .

Material not studied: ZAMBIA: 2^, Lealui [1513S:2302E] ( MNHN – reported by Tsacas 1969).

Type locality: Democratic Republic of Congo, Kadjudju .

Comments: The holotype specimen of notatus has its abdomen completely broken off. However, part of an abdomen is stuck to a card beneath the specimen, and the genitalia (removed from this abdomen) placed in a small glass genitalia vial pinned beneath the specimen. It is obvious that this abdomen and the associated genitalia were incorrectly associated with the specimen which was clearly one of the series used to describe futilis . It is not known to which species the abdomen belongs, but the damaged (dermestid damaged?) genitalia, illustrated by Tsacas (1969), suggest a species belonging to an entirely different genus (the probable reason why Tsacas (1969) could not group the species and Lehr (1996) chose to ignore it). I have no hesitation in listing notatus as a synonym of futilis .

Figures

Figs 203–209. Tsacasiella futilis (Tsacas, 1969). 203. Antenna. 204. Wing. 205–207. ơ genitalia. (Hell’s Gate ơ). 205. Lateral. 206. Dorsal. 207. Ventral. 208–209. ^ genitalia. (Kadudju ^ paratype). 208. Lateral. 209. Dorsal. Scale lines = 1 mm.