A review of the Afrotropical genus Rhabdogaster Loew, 1858 with descriptions of new species (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae) Londt, Jason G. H. African Invertebrates 2006 2006-12-31 47 243 313 7949V 468798 Londt, 2006 Londt 2006 [462,718,206,231] Insecta Asilidae Rhabdogaster Animalia Diptera 32 275 Arthropoda species pedion sp. nov.   Figs 1–3, 83–85, 130 Etymology: From Greek  pedion(field). Refers to this species’ montane grassland habitat. Description: Based on holotypeơ unless otherwise stated.  Head: Black, orange-gold pruinose, pale yellow-white setose. Antenna black, setae black. Face with pair of closely associated black apruinose subtriangular spots centrally. Mystax entirely pale yellow-white, occupying approx. lower half of face. Frons entirely orange-gold pruinose, vertex (including ocellar tubercle) entirely shiny black apruinose. Occiput entirely gold-silver pruinose. Proboscis and palpi dark red-brown, setae pale yellow-white.  Thorax: Dark red-brown to black, silver and gold pruinose, pale yellow-white setose. Mesonotum extensively pruinose except for a pair of stripes anteriorly, a pair of small spots laterally and parts of postpronotal and postalar lobes. Pleura almost entirely pruinose (small apruinose spots on an- and katepisternum). Scutellum almost entirely pruinose except for hind margin, with 2 long pale yellow-white sctl s. Postmetacoxal bridge ( Fig. 2) entirely gold-silver pruinose. Legs: cxdark red-brown, gold-silver pruinose, pale yellow-white setose; trocdark red-brown; femdark red-brown with orange distal ends, pale yellow-white setose; tiborange with dark red-brown distal ends, predominantly pale yellow-white setose (few black setae ventrodistally); tardark redbrown, partly pale yellow-white (mainly dorsally) and black (mainly ventrally) setose. Wing ( Fig. 3) 6.3 x 2.0 mm, veins brown, membrane transparent, unstained, almost entirely dark microtrichose (except for small parts proximally). Discal cell entirely microtrichose, costal cell with microtrichia along entire length but absent from much of posterior margin.  Abdomen: Black, silver-gold pruinose, pale yellow-white setose. Tergites almost entirely pruinose except for narrow distal margins of proximal segments, setae short. Sternites entirely pruinose, setae moderately long. Terminalia ( Figs 83–85): epandin lateral view slightly shorter than external lobe of goncxand hypd, tapering to fairly acute tips; in dorsal view lobes broadly fused proximomedially; hypdin lateral view curved, with upcurved distal end, projecting to about same length as external lobe of goncx; in ventral view broadly-rounded proximally, tapering rapidly distally to elongate process with rounded apex. In lateral view external lobe of goncxtapering distally to narrowlyrounded tip; gonstin ventral view slightly curved with narrowly-rounded tip. Variation: A reasonably uniform species. Extent of orange leg coloration, and thoracic and abdominal pruinescence slightly variable.   Holotype:ơ SOUTH AFRICA:  KwaZulu-Natal: ‘RSA:KZ-Natal #13 / Injasuti Nature Res. / 29 °12'S: 29 °22'E  1800m/ date:  27.iii.1994/ Coll: J.G.H. Londt’.   Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA:  KwaZulu-Natal: 1ơ ‘ S Africa: Natal#50 / Royal Natal Nat. Park/ 28 41'S: 28 57'E  1900m/ Date:  7–11.iv.1990/ nr. Grotto. Indigenous/ river-forest margins’; 6ơ 9^‘ S Africa: Natal#12 / Royal Natal Nat. Park/ 28 °41'S: 28 °57'E  1440m/ Date:  02–04.iv.1993/ Coll: J. Londt/ Mahai Camp/ grassland’; 1ơ ‘ South Africa: Natal./ Royal Natal Nat. Park/ 2828DB. J. Londt./  28–29.iv.1984. Forest/ margins & grasslands.’; 6ơ 5^1? ‘ South Africa: Natal/ Royal Natal National/ Park  6–10.xii.1984/ JGH Londt Riverine/ bush Montaneslopes’; 6ơ 4^‘ S. Africa: Natal#2 / Royal Natal National/ Park.  25.iv.1984  1900m/ at Witsieshoek/ R. Miller& P. Stabbins’(1ơ 1^BMNH); 2ơ ‘ South Africa: Natal/ Cathedral Peak area/ xii.26–27.1977. 2829CC / R.M. Miller.indigenous / for., Malaisetrap’; 10ơ 7^‘ South Africa: Natal/ Cathedral Peak area/ 2829 Cc  16–18.xii.1977/ JGH Londtex Malaise’; 1ơ ‘ South Africa: Natal/ Cathedral Peak area/ 2829CC J.G.H. Londt/ Date:  5–6 Feb. 1983/ ex Malaise’; 1ơ 3^‘ S. Africa. Natal/ 2.5 kmS. Ukuhlamba / Res. Station. Grassy margin / path to weir. 2829CC / 21 Dec. 1979. B. Lamoral’; 3ơ 1^1? ‘  South Africa. Natal/ Ukhahlamba Res. Stn./ 2829CC  13.i.1984/ Themedaveld / P. Reavell’; 1ơ 1^1? ‘ Firelookout / Grasslandon / steep slopes / 7500–7700 Ft.’, ‘ Cathedral Peak/ Forestry Reserve/ Natal Drakensberg/  March 1959/ B.R. & P.J. Stuckenberg’; 1ơ ‘ Little Berg Summits/ Themeda Grassland/ 5500–6000 Ft.’, ‘ Cathedral Peak/ Forestry Reserve/ Natal Drakensberg/  March 1959/ B.R. & P.J. Stuckenberg’; 1ơ ‘ Indumeni River/ Fynbosconsocies /  6300 ft.’, ‘Cathedral Peak / Forestry Reserve/ Natal Drakensberg /  March 1959/ B.R. & P.J. Stuckenberg’; 5ơ 8^‘  South Africa: KZNatal / uKhahlamba- Drakensberg/ Park Monk’s Cowl N. R./ 29 °03'01"S 29 °23'51"E/  22.i.2006 J. G. H. Londt/  1518m Montanegrassland; 5ơ 1^‘  RSA: KZ-Natal #13 / Injasuti Nature Res./ 29 °12'S: 29 °22'E  1800m/ date:  27.iii.1994/ Coll: J.G.H. Londt’; 1^‘  RSA: KZ-Natal #14 / Injasuti Nature Res./ 29 °12'S: 29 °22'E  1500m/ date:  29.iii.1994/ Coll: J.G.H. Londt’; 1ơ‘  RSA: KZ-Natal #16 / Injasuti Nature Res./ 29 °12'S: 29 °22'E  1800m/ date:  27.iii.1994/ Coll: J.G.H. Londt’; 2ơ 4^‘  South Africa: Natal/ Giants Castle G. Res/ 2929AD  16.ii.1988/ D. Barraclough/ Montanegrassland’; 1ơ 1^‘ Sth Africa: KZ-Natal / Cobham Forst Reserve/ 29 °41'50"S 29 °24'44"E/  1530m  24.ii.2000/ JGH Londt Grassland’. Other specimens studied:  LESOTHO: 1ơ ‘ Bushmans Pass/ Maloti Mountains/  2125–2250m. /  8–14 Jan. 1963’, ‘ Maseru[2927BD] District/ Basutoland/ B. & P. Stuckenberg’.  SOUTH AFRICA:  Gauteng: 1^‘ Transvaal R.S.A/ Brits Dist./ Hartbeespoort Dam/ (25 27 DD) /  21.iii.1972/ J.A. van Reenen’; 1^‘ S.Afr: Gauteng/ Pretoria-oos[Pretoria-East] / 25 °32'S28 °11' [E omitted] /  20.iii.1998/ leg. F. Swanepoel’, ‘ Univ. of Pretoria/ Dept. Zoology & / Entomology/ 2 nd Year Collection’;  KwaZulu-Natal: 5ơ 5^‘ South Africa: Natal/  Normandien ForestRes/ 27 °57'45"S: 29 °41'03"E/ Montane Podocarpus/ Forestmargins  1950m/ JGH Londt  19.iv.1988’; 1^‘ So. Africa: Natal, 15km/ SE Rorke’s Drift/ 28 °30'S, 30 °30'E/  30 May 1992 RM Miller’; 1ơ 3^‘ South Africa KwaZulu-Natal/ Umfolozi Nature Reserve/ Mbhzane Field Station/ 28 °13.37'S/ 31 °47.72'E/ Mixed Thornveld / leg. T. Dikow  7.v.2000’; 1^‘ South Africa: Natal / Ntambanana area/ 3145E 2835S 30.iii.85 / P E Reavell  275m/ Windy ridge in / grassveld’;1^‘ South Africa: Natal / Empangeni area/ 3155E 2845S 18.vi.83 / P E Reavell  110m/ Vosloo’s farm / Digitaria grassveld / in Tamboutie veld’; 3ơ 9^‘ South Africa: Natal / Harold Johnson Nature / Res c 29 °12'S: 31 °25'E/ Coast Lowlands Forest/ J.G.H. Londt  20m/  29.iv.1988For. Edge’;  Eastern Cape: 1ơ 1^‘ S Africa: E. Cape#9 /  10 kmENE of Rhodes/ 30 °45'S: 28 °01'E  2080m/ Date:  5.ii.1992Natal / Museum Expedition / causeway near Malpas’; 1ơ ‘ S Africa: E Cape#2 /  37 kmNE Maclear/ 30 °53'S: 28 °18'E  1670m/ Date:  3.ii.1992Natal / Museum Expedition / Grassland and stream.’; 1ơ ‘ S Africa: Cape#8 / Zuurberg Nat. Park/ 33 °21'S: 25 °44'E  600m/ Date:  21.xi.1990/ Londt& Whittington/ Montanemacchia area’.  SWAZILAND: 3ơ 3^‘ Swaziland#48 / Mbuluzi Nature Reserve/ 26 °08'S: 32 °00'E  200m/ Date:  25.iv.1991/ J Londt& L Schoeman/ Mixed woodland area’; 10ơ 7^‘Swaziland #45 / 13 kmN. of Ngogolo / 26 °19'S: 31 °38'E  300m/ Date:  22–24.iv.1991/ J Londt& L Schoeman/ Panata Ranch/ Bushveld’. Distribution, phenology and biology (Tables 1, 2, Fig. 130): Recorded from South Africa, Lesothoand Swaziland. Most of the recorded localities are in the Drakensberg mountain range. Collections have been made from November through to June (i.e. summer, through autumn, and early winter – in a summer-rainfall region). Five prey records are available at the NMSA: 2ơ ( Hymenoptera, Formicidae, alates), 1^( Hymenoptera,? Eucharitidae), 1^( Diptera, Empididae), 1^(Isoptera, Termitidae, alate). Similar species:  R. eremia sp. n. 1994-03-27 Coll & J. G. H. Londt' South Africa 1800 -29.2 KwaZulu-Natal 1228 29.366667 32 275 1 KwaZulu-Natal holotype 1977-12-16 1993-04-04 1977-12-16 BMNH S Africa & Date & Grotto. Indigenous & Natal & Coll & J. Londt & Mahai Camp & Natal. & J. Londt. & Forest & Royal Natal National & Park & Londt Riverine & Montane & S. Africa & Park. & Witsieshoek & R. Miller & P. Stabbins' & R. M. Miller. & Malaise & Cc & Londt & Malaise' & J. G. H. Londt & S. Africa. Natal South Africa Natal 1900 -28.683332 Royal Natal Nat. Park 1230 28.95 Royal Natal Nat. Park 32 275 1 KwaZulu-Natal paratype 1959-03 1984-01-13 1959-03 P. Reavell' & B. R. & P. J. Stuckenberg' South Africa Forestry Reserve 1920 Natal Fynbos 33 276 1 2006-01-22 Park Monk's Cowl N. R. & J. G. H. Londt South Africa 1518 -29.050278 Drakensberg 20 29.3975 Montane 33 276 1 1994-03-27 Injasuti Nature Res. & Coll & Londt' South Africa 1800 -29.2 RSA 1228 29.366667 33 276 1 1994-03-29 Injasuti Nature Res. & Coll & Londt' South Africa 1500 -29.2 RSA 1228 29.366667 33 276 1 1994-03-27 Injasuti Nature Res. & Coll & Londt' South Africa 1800 -29.2 RSA 1228 29.366667 33 276 1 1988-02-16 2000-02-24 1988-02-16 Giants Castle G. Res & D. Barraclough & Londt Grassland' South Africa Cobham Forst Reserve 1530 -29.697222 Natal 20 29.412222 Sth Africa 33 276 1 1963-01-08 1963-01-14 1963-01-08 District & Basutoland & B. & P. Stuckenberg' Lesotho 2188 Maloti Mountains Bushmans Pass 33 276 1 Maseru 1972-03-21 2000-05-07 1972-03-21 Transvaal R. S. A & J. A. van Reenen' & S. Afr & F. Swanepoel' & So. Africa & SE Rorke's Drift & RM Miller' & T. Dikow & P E Reavell & J. G. H. Londt & S Africa & Date & Londt & Whittington & Montane South Africa Brits Dist. 1950 -33.35 Pretoria-oos 1205 25.733334 Hartbeespoort Dam 33 276 1 Gauteng 1991-04-22 1991-04-25 1991-04-22 J Londt & L Schoeman & Date & Panata Ranch & Bushveld' Swaziland Swaziland 200 -26.316668 Date 1242 31.633333 Mbuluzi Nature Reserve 33 276 1