Sisyrnodytes Loew, 1856

Londt, Jason G. H., 2009, A review of Afrotropical Sisyrnodytes Loew, 1856 (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae), African Invertebrates 50 (1), pp. 137-137 : 141

Genus Sisyrnodytes Loew, 1856

Sisyrnodytes: Loew 1856:40 . Type species: Sisyrnodytes floccus Loew, 1856 [= Acnephalum nilicola Rondani, 1850 ], by monotypy. Diagnosis: A distinctive bee-like member of the subfamily Stenopogoninae . Characterised by the possession of asetose anatergites, minute or no pulvilli, and a costal vein that usually terminates before the wing tip ( Figs 3, 4 ). A single species has the costal vein extending beyond the wing tip and terminating where M 2 reaches the wing margin ( Fig. 5 ). In addition the wing membrane lacks microtrichiae entirely and, as a consequence of the shortened costal vein, veins R 4 +M 1, M 2, M 3 +CuA 1 and CuA 2 +A 1 frequently fail to reach the wing margin ( Figs 3, 4 ). Male genitalia are withdrawn between distal terga and sterna, while the epandrium is invariably small and poorly developed.

Figures

Figs 1–5. Sisyrnodytes species: (1) S. brevis (Macquart, 1838), dorsal view of a Gonnemanskraal ơ; (2) S. curtus (Wiedemann, 1819), lateral view of Knersvlakte ^; (3, 4) S. major Adams, 1905, variation in wing staining: (3) Nguruma ơ; (4) Azare paratype ơ; (5) S. aethes sp. n., wing venation of Meiringspoort paratype ^.