Gonioscelis exouros, Londt, 2004

Londt, Jason G. H., 2004, A review of the afrotropical genus Gonioscelis Schiner, 1866 (Diptera: Asilidae), with descriptions of new species, African Invertebrates 45, pp. 21-124 : 43-44

Gonioscelis exouros sp. n.

Figs 42–44 , 151

Etymology: Gr. exouros – ending in a tail. Refers to the long proctiger that extends far beyond the tips of the epandrial lobes.

Description: Based on unique holotype ơ (NMSA).

Head: Antenna black, apruinose except for silver pedicel, setae white. Facial swelling pronounced, mystax black with a few white ones in dorsal half (no setae between swelling and antennal sockets). Frons and vertex weakly gold pruinose. Ocellar tubercle apruinose with black oc. Occiput silver pruinose except for apruinose area behind ocellar tubercle, setae ranging from dark red-brown (few) and yellow dorsally, through yellow to white ventrally. Proboscis and palpus dark red-brown, yellow-brown setose.

Thorax: Black, silver and gold pruinose. Postpronotal lobes and posterior part of mesonotum orange, contrasting with rest of mesonotum, with pale yellow and white setae. Mesonotal setae: ac black, a few anteriorly and posteriorly only (central area without setae); approx. 18 pairs dc strong, black, clearly extending anterior of transverse suture; 3 yellow npl; 4–6 sa, yellow anteriorly black posteriorly; 3–4 black pa. Scutellum black, silver pruinose, with 5 black mrg sct. Wing length 7.5 mm, membrane mostly hyaline with dark brown microtrichia at crossveins (giving wings a spotted appearance). Legs: All femora dark red-brown with orange distal ends, tibiae yellow proximally redbrown distally, tarsi red-brown except for yellow pro- and mesothoracic basitarsi, setae white except for a few black ones on femoral spur, tibiae and tarsi. Prothoracic coxa black, silver pruinose, white setose; femoral spur sharply pointed (angle approx. 20°).

Abdomen: Tergites dark red-brown to black, weakly silver pruinose anteriorly (a little greasy), setae white. Sternites dark red-brown, largely apruinose, white setose.

Terminalia ( Figs 42–44 ): Short ep, lobes tapering distally to setose tips; proctiger exceptionally long, jutting out well beyond tips of epandrial lobes, gcx distally with three dorsal projections and a few fine setae; hyp, in ventral view, approximately as broad as long, tapering moderately quickly to shallowly bilobed apex equipped with long fine terminal setae.

Variation: Unknown. Female unknown.

Type material: SOUTH AFRICA: 1ơ holotype, ‘ Sth Africa: Cape Prov / Richtersveld 1km N / Kuboes 1.ix.1989 200m / 28°25'30"S: 16°59'30"E / J Londt B Stuckenberg / & P Croeser Rocky E / slope Euphorbia scrub’ .

Type locality: South Africa: 1 km N Kuboes.

Distribution, phenology and biology (Tables 1–2, Fig. 151 ): Known only from the Richtersveld which falls within the Succulent Karoo biome. The single specimen was collected in September resting on a rock.

Similar species: The species is closely related to other spotted-winged species from the western parts of South Africa ( chloris , kedros , punctipennis ). It is most similar to punctipennis , also found in the Richtersveld, but the unique male has a distinctively enlaged proctiger that juts out posteriorly well beyond the epandrial lobes and is thus easily separated from males of punctipennis .

Figures

Figs 42–51. Gonioscelis male genitalia. 42–44. G. exouros sp. n. (holotype). 42. Lateral. 43. Dorsal. 44.Ventral.45–47. G. feijeni sp. n. (Nampula paratype), epandrial macrosetae missing.45. Lateral. 46. Dorsal. 47. Ventral. 48. G. francoisi Oldroyd, 1970, lateral, reproduction of published illustration. 49–51. G. genitalis Ricardo, 1925 (Ongandjera syntype), left epandrial lobe broken off at mid-length. 49. Lateral. 50. Dorsal. 51. Ventral. Scale lines = 1 mm.

Figs 150–151. Distribution of Gonioscelis species found only along the west coast of South Africa. 150. closed square = ceresae, cross = iota, open circle = melas. 151. closed circle = chloris, open circle = exouros, closed square = kedros, open square = punctipennis.