Congomochtherus penicillatus ( Speiser, 1910 )

Jason G. H. Londt, 2014, The Afrotropical Robber Fly Genus Congomochtherus Oldroyd, 1979 (Diptera: Asilidae: Asilinae), African Invertebrates 55 (2), pp. 333-350 : 342-343

Congomochtherus penicillatus ( Speiser, 1910)

Figs 10 , 19

Machimus penicillatus Speiser, 1910: 100 ; Lindner 1955: 40.

Congomochtherus penicillatus: Oldroyd 1970: 308 (= oldroydi Londt & Tsacas, 1987 ); Londt & Tsacas 1987: 37 (figs 41-47 ♂ terminalia, 48 ♀ terminalia).

Previously recorded material: Speiser (1910) based his species on: '4♂ und 6♀ aus der Niederung am Meru [Meru National Park, Kenya, c. 02°05'N 38°11'E, c. 570 m], davon 2♀ vom Ngare na nyuki [Ngare Nanyuki, Tanzania, c. 03°08'S 36°53'E, c. 1390 m]; die Funddaten sind: Oktober (l Expl.), l. December (2), 2. Dec. (5), Januar (2).'

Lindner (1955) records the following material: '2♂ 6♀ von Ngaruka [nr. Loolmalasin Mountain, in Ngorongora Conservation area, Tanzania, c. 03°02' 56"S 35°49'15"E, c. 2040 m], 29. Januar bis 14. Februar 1952'.

Oldroyd (1970) recorded material from Kenya which was subsequently used in the description of a new species, C. oldroydi Londt & Tsacas, 1987 .

Londt & Tsacas (1987) commented on the type material and listed the following record: TANZANIA: 2♂ 2♀, Bunduki [c. 07°02'S 37°38'E 1478 m], Uluguru Mts. moy. Mgeta, 1300 m, 30-iv/2-v-1957, Mission Zoolog. IRSAC en Afrique Orientale (P. Basilewsky & N. Leleup) (MRAC).

Newly recorded material: KENYA: 1♀, Machakos, Hunter's Lodge, 0 2°12'S 37°42'E, 960 m, 30.xi.1992, Whittington & Londt, hotel garden & lights (NMSA); 2♂ 2♀, Hunter's Lodge, 30.iv. - 2.v.1991, Friedberg & Kaplan (NMSA); 2♂, Kibwezi [c. 02°25'S 37°58'E, c. 900 m], 200 km S.E. Nairobi, 2, 7.xii.1989, Friedberg & Kaplan (NMSA).

Distribution ( Fig. 19 ), phenology ( Table 1 ) and biology: This species has been recorded for the northern parts of Tanzania (three localities) and southeastern Kenya (two

localities). Adults have been collected from October through to May, although there are no records for March ( Table 1 ). Although the species is generally data deficient, my limited experience of collecting a single female specimen, found on a rock in the Kiboko stream where it crosses the A109 west of Hunter's Lodge (i.e. 02°12'28"S 37°41'55"E c. 930 m), is significant (Note: Label data is for the bulk of material which was collected in the area of the Lodge, and is inaccurate for this particular specimen). The identity of my specimen has been confirmed by the collection of both males and females by Friedberg and Kaplan in the same general area. The Ngare Nanyuki record is of interest as this centre lies in a valley between the Arusha National Park and Mount Kilimanjaro where a number of streams are to be found, one of which lies close to a main road [c. 03°07'59"S 36°52'57"E, c. 1370 m] and may be the site of collection. Although it appears that most records are for places near mountains where there are rivers and streams, no precise biological data is available for the species.

Figures

Fig. 19. East African distribution of Congomochtherus oldroydi Londt (circles) & Tsacas, 1987 and C. penicillatus (Speiser, 1910) (squares).

Figs 5-11.Congomochtherus ♂ terminalia (lateral):(5) C. acuminatus Oldroyd, 1974; (6) C. elferinki Londt & Tsacas, 1987; (7) C. inachus Londt & Tsacas, 1987; (8) C. lobatus Oldroyd, 1970; (9) C. oldroydi Londt & Tsacas, 1987; (10) C. penicillatus (Speiser, 1910); (11) C. potamius Londt & Tsacas, 1987 (Scale bars = 1 mm).