Nannolaphria niger, Loodt, 1977

Loodt, J. G. H., 1977, Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 1. The genus Choerades Walker, 1851 and the descriptions of two new genera, Nannolaphria and Notiolaphria, from southern Africa and Malagasy Republic *, ANNALS OF THE NATAL MUSEUM 23, pp. 43-55 : 48-50

Nannolaphria niger sp. n. Figs 6-9

Diagnosis: See generic diagnosis.

Description: Based on 10 ♂, 21 ♀. pinned.

Holotype ♂: Head: Lateral aspect illustrated (Fig. 7). Antennae black, segment I a little longer than 2; 3 not quite twice as long as 1 + 2 (1,7: 1,0). Segments I and 2 equipped with long black setae; segment 3 bare, pollinose, without microsegment but possessing a single apical seta situated within a small pit. Face shiny black and plain except for a slight swelling above the mouthparts. Mystax composed of numerous black setae as long as antenna. Vertex with a number of moderately long, black setae. Ocellarium high, rounded apically and equipped with 2 strong divergent setae and a few weaker setae. Dorsal half of occiput possesses numerous black setae while ventral half possesses pale, whitish setae. Proboscis black, short, only a little longer than antennal segment 3.

Thorax: Black, laterally dull and finely grey pollinose. Pronotum with black setae dorsally. Mesopleuron with a number of fine, black setae dorsally, mesepimeron equipped with many long, black setae. Mesonotum and scutellum shiny black, covered with moderately long, black setae. Acrostical, dorsocentral and inter-alar setae not clearly differentiated. Supra-alar setae moderately well developed, 10-12 scutellar setae arranged marginally. Metanotal calosities bare but finely gold pollinose. Halteres pale yellow-brown. Wing membrane iridescent, completely covered with fine, black microsetae which give the wings a dark grey appearance. Venation (Fig. 6) black; marginal, fourth posterior and 'anal cells closed; costa extends around entire wing margin; alula moderately well developed. Legs black, equipped with numerous black setae. Pulvilli, claws and empodium present.

Abdomen: Terga and sterna shiny black, covered, especially laterally, with short to moderately long, fine, black setae. Postmetacoxal area membranous but distinctly narrowed immediately posterior to the coxae. Genital bulb (Figs 8-9) shiny black, rounded, and not rotated (otherwise rotated through 360°). Clasper reduced to small lobe; gonopod produced distal1y possibly functioning as clasper; aedeagus long, thin and upturned distally.

Dimensions: Body length 7,5 mm; wing length 5,4 mm; width of head across eyes 2,0 mm; antenna length 0,9 mm; proboscis length 0,6 mm.

Paratypes: 9 ♂, 21 ♀ .. Agree- well with holotype. Females slightly larger than males otherwise no sexual dimorphism apart from genitalia.

Type specimens (N. M. T2100): SOUTH AFRICA: holotype ♂, 1♂ and 3 ♀. paratypes, Natal, Pietermaritzburg , Town Bush , forest margin, 26.XI. l976, J. G. H. Londt ; 5♂ 14 ♀. paratypes, same data but 7. XII. 1976; 3♂ 3 ♀. paratypes, Pietermaritzburg , Town Bush, 18.XI 1.I 961 (1 ♂ 1 ♀.) , 27. XIl.1961 (1 ♂ 2 ♀.) , 21.XI. l 962 (1 ♂), B. & P. Stuckenberg. TRANSKEI : 1 ♀. paratype, Port St Johns, 22-25.XI. l961, B. & P. Stuckenberg. All specimens in Natal Museum, Pietermaritzburg, except for a pair of paratypes deposited in each of the following museums; British Museum (Natural History), Paris Museum and United States National Museum, Washington.

Habitat: Specimens collected by the author were taken on low dicotyledonous plants on the margin of indigenous, montane, gallery forest. The flies appeared to like sunny positions and perched openly on leaves where, because of their shiny black colour, they were easily seen. One individual was collected with prey which in this instance was a tiny homopteran. Collection data suggests that the species is active in the adult phase in midsummer.

Remarks: Oldroyd labelled specimens of this species ' Goneccalypsis ? sp. nov.', but none of these specimens possess the characteristic venation of the tribe Atomosiini to which Goneccalypsis Hermann belongs. These specimens key out instead to the tribe Laphriini . Using both Oldroyd's (1963) and Hull's (1962) keys to African and World genera one arrives at the genera Smeryngolaphria Hermann and Ichneumolaphria Carrera , respectively. Checking Hull's (1962) detailed generic descriptions and Bromley's (1935) description of S. paUida the only known record of the genus in the Ethiopian region, it is clear that both the newly described species and S. pallida do not belong to either of these primarily Neotropical genera. Although the erection of monotypic genera has been queried ( Platnick 1976) Nanno /aphria niger is so distinctive in genitalial form that I feel sure that time will give justification to the erection of this genus.