Acnephalum Macquart, 1838

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 : 436

Acnephalum Macquart, 1838

Acnephalum: Macquart 1838: 51 [1839: 167]. Type species: Acnephalum olivierii Macquart, 1838 , by designation of Röder (1882: 245) – not Engel (1929: 276).

Pycnopogon Loew, 1847: 526 . Type species: Dasypogon apiformis Loew, 1847: 529 by original designation [= pallidipennis (Bruellé, 1836) ]. Syn. n.

Designation of type species of Acnephalum : The designator of A. olivierii as type species has long been accepted to be Engel (1929) who, without explanation, merely states ‘Genotype: Olivieri Macq. ’. Röder (1882), however, although misspelling the generic name, clearly stated, under the heading ‘Ueber Acnecephalum Macq.’, that ‘Die typische Art der Gattung ist Acnecephalum Olivieri Macq. (Diptères exotiques Tome premier 2. partie pag. 51)’. I believe this statement complies with requirements for a properly constituted type species designation, and that this was probably known to Engel as he makes reference to Röder’s work.

Diagnosis: Stenopogonine asilids with the following combination of characters. Head: Antennal postpedicel elongate, slender; style composed of 3 elements (2 slender segments and terminal spine-like seta); head clearly wider than high in anterior view (not more-or-less circular); face slightly convex; mystax covering entire face; vertex distinctly excavated; angle of divergence of frons/vertex in anterior view>20°; palpi 2-segmented; proboscis straight. Thorax: Anatergites bare; metepisternal macrosetae present; postmetacoxal area membranous; pulvilli well developed; wing with cells r 1 and m 3 open at margin; costal vein extending around entire wing margin (although weakly around anal cell and alula); ‘stump-vein’ at base of R 4 absent. Abdomen: Segments clearly wider than long (i.e. moderately dorsoventrally flattened); terga more densely setose laterally.

Natal Museum specimens of Acnephalum studied:

A. fasciculatus ( Loew, 1847) – 1♀ ‘Graec. Peloponnes / Zachiorou, Kalavr. / J. Klimosch vii.63’ ( NMSA) . A. mixtus ( Loew, 1847) – 1♂ ‘ Meiron / Israel / 30.v.1972 / leg. Kugler’ ( NMSA) ; 1♀ ‘ 5.iv.1957 / Bir Rekhnis, / Israel / Coll. Fishelsohn L. ’ ( NMSA) .

A. pallidipennis (Brullé, 1836) – 2♂ ‘6.vi.39. westl. Me­ / galopolis; Graecia / leg. Erich Schmidt’ ( NMSA); 1♀ ‘4.vi.38. Umg. s. Me­ / galopolis; Graecia / leg. Erich Schmidt’ ( NMSA) .

Note: Of possible interest is the fact that the female of A. pallidipennis listed above does not appear to have acanthophorites. This may be of significance when a revision of Acnephalum is undertaken.