Rhabdogaster pellos, Londt, 2006

Londt, Jason G. H., 2006, A review of the Afrotropical genus Rhabdogaster Loew, 1858 with descriptions of new species (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae), African Invertebrates 47, pp. 243-313 : 276-277

Rhabdogaster pellos sp. n.

Figs 86–88 , 129

Etymology: From Greek pellos (dusky). Refers to the generally dark appearance of this species.

Description: Based on holotype ơ.

Head: Black, silver and gold pruinose, white and black setose.Antenna dark red-brown to black, setae black. Face fine gold pruinose except for two weak apruinose spots. Mystax entirely white, occupying approx. lower half of face. Frons and vertex pruinose (except for ocellar tubercle), fine black setose. Occiput entirely silver-gold pruinose. Proboscis and palpi dark red-brown, setae white.

Thorax: Dark red-brown to black, silver and gold pruinose, white and black setose. Mesonotum dark red-brown except for brown-orange postpronotal lobes, almost entirely pruinose except for parts of postpronotal and postalar lobes and a small spot anterior of postalar lobe. Pleura extensively pruinose except for spot on anepisternum. Scutellum pruinose except for posterior margin, with 2 major black sctl s accompanied by 2 black minor setae. Postmetacoxal bridge entirely silver pruinose. Legs: cx orange-brown to dark red-brown, silver pruinose, white setose; troc orange and red-brown; fem orange with dark red-brown anterior surfaces (weak on forelegs), white setose (1 or 2 black setae distoventrally); tib orange, dark red-brown ventrodistally, predominantly white setose (a few black setae ventrodistally); tar orange-brown, mostly black setose. Wing 5.6 x 1.7 mm, veins yellow-brown, membrane transparent, unstained, microtrichia present mainly in distal part. Discal cell entirely microtrichose, costal cell without microtrichia except at distal end.

Abdomen: Dark red-brown to black, silver-gold pruinose, white setose. Tergites pruinose except for narrow posterior margins, setae tiny black medially, white laterally. Sternites entirely pruinose, white setose. Terminalia ( Figs 86–88 ): epand in lateral view longer than external lobe of goncx and of similar length as hypd, tapering to rounded tips; in dorsal view lobes fused for more than half length; hypd in lateral view curved, with gently upcurved distal end, projecting to about same length as epand, and with dorsal subapical process; in ventral view broadly-rounded proximally, tapering gradually in undulating fashion to elongate terminal process with rounded apex. In lateral view external and internal lobes of goncx clearly fused basally, external lobe tapering distally to narrowly-rounded tip; internal lobe well-developed with truncate tip; gonst in ventral view sinuous with narrowly-rounded tip.

Variation: Minimal, despite the fairly extensive distribution. Specimens from Sutherland have silver pruinose faces.

Holotype: ơ SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape: ‘ Cape Province / Grahamstown [3318S 2632E] / March 1971 / J. G. H. Londt’.

Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: Northern Cape: 1^‘ S Africa : Cape #35 / 23 km N of Middlepos / 31 ° 44'S: 20 ° 14'E 1170m / Date: 29.xi.1990 / Whittington & Londt / At Kookfontein River’; 6ơ 7^‘ S Africa : Cape #25 / 19 km S of Sutherland / 32 ° 33'S: 20 ° 34'E 1100m / Date: 25.xi.1990 / Whittington & Londt / Verlatekloof roadside’ ; Eastern Cape: 1ơ ‘ Sth Africa Cape Prov / Mountain Zebra Nat. P. / 24 km W. of Cradock. / 3225AB 21.i.1984 / D. & C. Barraclough / Rocky hillside.’; 1^‘Willowmore [3317S:2329E] / Capland / 3 1917 / Dr. Brauns’; 1^‘Willowmore / v.1922 / Dr. Brauns’; 3ơ 1^same data as holotype; 1^‘ South Africa / Humansdorp [3402S:2446E] / 23.i.1984 / J.G. Theron’ .

Distribution, phenology and biology (Tables 1, 2, Fig. 129 ): Recorded only from South Africa. Known from six fairly widely separated localities in the southern parts of the country. Collected in November, January, March and May. The species may be sympatric with yeti . One prey record is available at the NMSA: 1^( Hymenoptera ,? Aphelinidae ).

Similar species: R. nitida , nuda and oribi sp. n.

Figures

Figs 80–91. Rhabdogaster species, male terminalia: (80–82) R. oribi sp. n., Oribi Gorge Reserve holotype: (80) lateral, (81) dorsal, (82) ventral; (83–85) R. pedion sp. n., Royal Natal National Park paratype: (83) lateral, (84) dorsal, (85) ventral; (86–88) R. pellos sp. n., Grahamstown paratype: (86) lateral, (87) dorsal, (88) ventral; (89–91) R. poa sp. n., Serowe paratype: (89) lateral, (90) dorsal, (91) ventral. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Fig. 129. Distribution of Rhabdogaster species: oldroydi (Lindner, 1973) – closed circles; oresbios sp. n. – open circles; pellos sp. n. – closed squares; poa sp. n. – open squares.