Ammodaimon platythrix, Londt, 2010

Londt, Jason G. H., 2010, A review of Afrotropical Acnephalum Macquart, 1838, including the reinstatement of Sporadothrix Hermann, 1907 and descriptions of two new genera (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae), African Invertebrates 51 (2), pp. 431-431 : 464-466

Ammodaimon platythrix sp. n.

Figs 4 , 10 , 17, 22 , 58–60 , 68

Sporadothrix gracilis: Oldroyd 1974: 81–83 (fig. 77 – entire specimen). Misidentification.

Etymology: From Greek platys (broad, wide, flat) and thrix (hair); noun in apposition. The name refers to the many dorsoventrally compressed, scale-like setae characteristic of this species.

Description (Based on holotype ( Fig. 4 ). Condition: Excellent. The specimen is doublemounted and pinned laterally with a minuten pin.):

Head: Dark red-brown, white setose, silver and golden pruinose.Antenna ( Fig. 17 ): Set low on head (below an imaginary line drawn across maximum width of head in anterior view); scape and pedicel yellowish, postpedicel dark red-brown, style dark red-brown except for yellowish tip. Segmental ratios 1.0:1.2:2.2:0.4:1.6 – scape slightly shorter than pedicel, both segments white setose (macrosetae do not jut out to level achieved by postpedicel); postpedicel about twice length of scape and pedicel combined; style subequal in length to postpedicel. Face gently convex, entirely silver pruinose. Mystax shiny white, covers entire face (there is a narrow asetose strip below antennal sockets) setae dorsoventrally flattened and scale­like. Frons and vertex white setose, entirely silver pruinose; postocular region white setose, silver-gold pruinose; angle subtended by eye margins at level of frons/vertex c. 11°. Proboscis short, straight, dark red-brown, weakly whitish setose. Palpus small 1-segmented.

Thorax: Uniformly dark red-brown, white setose (long setae regular, short setae scale-like), entirely silver and gold pruinose. Pronotum white setose. Mesonotum white setose. Lateral macrosetae well developed, long, pale translucent white (4 or 5 dc, 2 ppn, 3 npl, 2 spal, 1 pal). Pleura largely asetose except for some long, straight, white katatergals and a few scale-like setae ventrally on anepisternum and dorsally on katepisternum. Scutellum dark red-brown, silver-gold pruinose (except for hind margin), with poorly developed transverse, subapical groove. 12 well developed, long, white apical macrosetae, unaccompanied by shorter setae; disc asetose. Postmetacoxal area membranous. Legs: Dark red brown, cox silver pruinose, white setose (scale-like setae); fem tib and tar 1 with long translucent macrosetae and small scale-like white setae; tar 2–5 with short, white, regular setae. Pro- and mesothoracic tar longer than tib, metathoracic tar subequal in length to tib. Claws black, long (about as long as tarsomere 5), fairly straight; empodia and pulvilli absent ( Fig. 22 ). Haltere pale yellow-white, base brownish. Wing ( Fig. 10 ): 3.1× 1.2 mm. Veins pale brownish; membrane lacking microtrichiae, transparent except for brown-stained distal end; C continues around wing to A 1 (anal cell and alula without bordering vein); R 4 lacking basal stump-vein.

Abdomen: Cylindrical, uniformly dark red-brown to black, mostly white setose (some pale yellowish on distal terga). Discal setae long, erect, normal, translucent white; minor setae scale-like, white, recumbent. Eight segments discernable, genitalia rotated through 90°, not withdrawn between subterminal terga and sterna. Terga apruinose, except for narrow silver pruinose lateral strips; sterna entirely fine silver pruinose, virtually all setae short, white, scale-like and recumbent. Genitalia ( Figs 55–57 ) slightly clockwise rotated (<90°): Epand medially deeply incised to form two defined lobes fused proximally; lobes falling short of distance achieved by external parts of goncx. Proc juts out to about same level achieved by hypd (lateral view). External lobe of goncx in lateral view rounded basally, interior lobe slender, projecting beyond levels reached by either proc or hypd; interior lobe fairly broad in lateral view with slightly downturned (lateral view), bifurcate (dorsal & ventral views) tip. Gonst small, normally hidden from view except in ventral view, slightly curved with two relatively well-developed ventral setae distally. Aed short with simple tip. Hypd somewhat truncate basally, gradually tapering distally to finger­like medial lobe (ventral view); in lateral view hypd had a dorsally projecting subapical flange.

Holotype: ♂ NAMIBIA: ‘S. W. AFRICA (3) / Noachabeb [27°26'S: 18°31'E] 27 mls. [c. 43 km] / NNE. Grunau / 10–12.i.1972 ’, ‘Southern / African Exp. / B.M. 1972-1’, ‘ Sporadothrix / gracilis Hermann / det. H. Oldroyd 1973’ (BMNH).

Note: This is the specimen identified and described as Sporadothrix gracilis by Oldroyd (1974).Although he correctly stated in his text that it was a male, the caption for his useful illustration gives the sex as female. Distribution ( Fig. 68 ), phenology (Table 3) and biology: The species is known only from the holotype collected in January ( A. acares being collected in September). The species probably has a similar behaviour to A. acares which rests on the ground in open, fairly arid situations (Londt 1985).

Similar species: A. platythrix is similar to A. acares , but can be easily separated by the following brief key.

1 Wing with brown-stained tip; mesonotum and scutellar disc entirely pruinose; antennal scape and pedicel yellowish, postpedicel dark red-brown.......................... .................................................................................................... platythrix sp. n.

– Wing uniformly transparent; mesonotum pruinose centrally only, margins and scutellar disc shiny apruinose; antennae uniformly dark red-brown .......................... ............................................................................................... acares Londt, 1985

Figures

Figs 1–5. Appearance of entire specimens: (1) Acnephalomyia andrenoides (Wiedemann, 1828) [lectotype ♂ Dasypogon quadratus Wiedemann, 1828]; (2) Afroholopogon futilis (Wulp, 1899) [lectotype ♂ Acnephalum futilis Wulp, 1899]; (3) Sporadothrix gracilis Hermann, 1907, ♂ from 65 km SE Noenieput; (4) Ammodaimon platythrix sp. n., holotype ♂; (5) Astiptomyia bikos sp. n., paratype ♀.

Figs 6–11. Wing venation (none removed from specimens): (6) Acnephalum olivierii Macquart, 1838, holotype; (7) Acnephalomyia andrenoides (Wiedemann, 1828), lectotype ♂ Dasypogon andrenoides Wiedemann, 1828 (the shadow in the region of the anal cell is a leg situated below the wing); (8) Acnephalomyia platygaster (Loew, 1858), ♂ from 60 km S Aus; (9) Sporadothrix gracilis Hermann, 1907, ♂ from 39 km WNW of Upington; (10) Ammodaimon platythrix sp. n., holotype ♂; (11) Astiptomyia bikos sp. n., paratype ♀.

Figs 12–23.(12, 13) Head in anterior view:(12) Acnephalum olivierii Macquart, 1838,holotype (dotted lines show angle subtended by frons/vertex); (13) Acnephalomyia andrenoides (Wiedemann, 1828), lectotype;(14–18)Antennae,lateral view:(14) A.olivierii holotype;(15) A.andrenoides lectotype; (16) Sporadothrix gracilis Hermann, 1907, ca 65 km SE Noenieput ♂; (17) Ammodaimon platythrix sp. n., holotype ♂; (18) Astiptomyia bikos sp. n., holotype; (19–23) Tarsomere 5 and associated structures: (19) A. olivierii holotype; (20) A. andrenoides lectotype; (21) Sporadothrix gracilis Hermann, 1907, ca 65 km SE Noenieput ♂; (22) Ammodaimon platythrix sp. n., holotype ♂; (23) Astiptomyia bikos sp. n., holotype. Scale lines = 1 mm.

Figs 52–63. Male terminalia: (52–54) Afroholopogon futilis (Wulp, 1899) lectotype, lateral, dorsal and ventral; (55–57) Sporadothrix gracilis Hermann, 1907, holotype, lateral, dorsal and ventral; (58–60) Ammodaimon platythrix sp. n. holotype,lateral, dorsal and ventral; (61–63) Astiptomyia bikos sp. n. holotype lateral, dorsal and ventral. Scale lines = 1 mm.

Fig. 68. Distribution of species: Acnephalomyia iota sp. n. – diamonds; A. probolos sp. n. – star; Sporadothrix gracilis Hermann, 1907 – circles; Ammodaimon platythrix sp. n. – triangle; Astiptomyia bikos sp. n. – square.