Rhabdogaster poa, Londt, 2006

Londt, Jason G. H., 2006, A review of the Afrotropical genus Rhabdogaster Loew, 1858 with descriptions of new species (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae), African Invertebrates 47, pp. 243-313 : 277-279

Rhabdogaster poa sp. n.

Figs 89–91 , 129

Etymology: From Greek poa (grass). Refers to the habitat occupied by this species. Description: Based on holotype ơ.

Head: Black, silver pruinose, white setose. Antenna: Black, setae white. Face entirely pruinose. Mystax entirely white, occupying approx. lower half of face. Frons partly pruinose ventrally, vertex entirely apruinose (including ocellar tubercle). Occiput entirely pruinose. Proboscis and palpi dark red-brown, setae white.

Thorax: Dark red-brown to black, silver pruinose, white setose. Mesonotum extensively apruinose except for lateral and posterior margins and pair of stripes following insertions of dorsocentral setae (broadest immediately posterior of postpronotal lobes). Pleura pruinose except for small spot on anepisternum. Scutellum apruinose except for narrow anterior margin, with 8 moderately developed sctl s. Postmetacoxal bridge entirely silver pruinose. Legs: cx black, silver pruinose, white setose; troc and fem dark red-brown with narrow orange-brown proximal ends, white setose; tib dark redbrown with orange-brown dorsal surfaces, predominantly white setose (a few black setae ventrodistally on legs 2 and 3); tar dark red-brown, black setose. Wing 4.2 x 1.5 mm, veins yellow anteriorly, orange-brown posteriorly, membrane transparent, unstained, largely lacking microtrichia in proximal region. Discal cell lacking microtrichia in proximal part, costal cell entirely without microtrichia.

Abdomen: Black, silver pruinose, black and white setose. Tergites largely apruinose (proximal tergites almost completely so becoming progressively more pruinose towards posterior end), black setose on apruinose parts, white on pruinose parts. Sternites entirely pruinose, white setose. Terminalia ( Figs 89–91 ): epand in lateral view similar in length to external lobe of goncx and shorter than hypd, tapering to acute tips; in dorsal view lobes narrowly fused proximomedially; hypd in lateral view long, curved, with upturned distal end, prjecting beyond levels achieved by epand and outer lobe of goncx; in ventral view somewhat truncate proximally, tapering rapidly to long parallel-sided terminal process with slightly clavate apex. In lateral view external lobe of goncx slightly upward-curved with broadly-rounded tip. Internal lobe and gonst hardly visible in lateral view.

Holotype: ơ SOUTH AFRICA: Limpopo: ‘ South Africa 2229DC / Transvaal 10 km NW of / Waterpoort 26.i.1978 / JGH. Londt open grass’.

Paratypes: BOTSWANA: 1ơ ‘ Botswana SE 2226BD / Farmers Brigade 5 km / SE of Serowe Hillside / N slope P Forchhammer / Malaise trap 3. i.1986 ’. 1ơ ‘ Botswana Serowe / Farmer’s Brigade SE 2226BD / Mercury light trap xii.1989 / V.I. Forchhammer’ ( NHRS). 1^‘ Botsw: Kgatleng Dist / Pilane [2427S:2608E] 7 km SW Mochudi / On grass and herbs / 21.12.1981 Ulf Norling’ ( MZLU) ; SOUTH AFRICA: Limpopo: 3ơ 2^‘Sth Africa: Transvaal / 6 km N of Vivo 2229CC / 23–24.ii.1980 Londt / & Schoeman Buschverld [i.e. bushveld] / veget. & old lands’; 11ơ 10^same data as holotype (1ơ 1^BMNH); 1^‘Zoutpan, Zpbg. [Zoutpansberge 2258S 2950E] / 15–30 Nov.1932 / G. van Son. ’; 1ơ 2^‘nr. Stockpoort / Transvaal / 23 ° 25'S 27 ° 22'E / 11.I.1978 / Holm, Jacobs, Kirsten, Scholtz’; 1ơ ‘ South Africa 2329BD / Transvaal 2-4 km S of / Bandalierkop 27.i.78 / JGH. Londt Bushveld’; Mpumalanga: 1ơ ‘mounted / from alcohol’, ‘ S. Africa: Transvaal / 30 km SE Hoedspruit [2421S:3058E] / Malaise trap / 14.xi.1978 / Brothers & J-Guillarmod’; 1^‘ S. Africa: Transvaal / 30 km SE Hoedspruit / Malaise trap / 13.xi.1978 / Brothers & J-Guillarmod’; 7ơ 14^‘ South Africa. Transvaal / Kruger Park 5-1-1974 2431 Bb / 20 km NNE of Tshokwane / near road junction S35-S37 / B&P Stuckenberg open savanna’; 1ơ 4^‘ South Africa. Transvaal / Kruger Park 9-1-1974 / Bangu borehole. Grass, mud / 10 km SE Balule 2431 Bb / B&P Stuckenberg’; 1ơ ‘ Nwanedzi [2429S:3157E] / K.N.P. Survey / 29 30.iv.1969 / Potgieter & Strydom’; 1ơ 1^‘ Sth Africa: Transvaal / Kruger National Park / Vicinity of Skukuza / 9–12.iv.1985 J. Londt / SE2431 DC Bushveld’; 5ơ 4^‘ Skukuza [2459S:3136E] / Kruger N.P. / leg. Zumpt, II.56’ ( BMNH); North West: 1ơ ‘ South Africa 2527CD / Transv. Magaliesberge / Buffelspoortdam area / 2.ii.1978 JGH. Londt / Bushveld Long grass’ .

Other material studied: In the absence of males, the following specimens are provisionally listed under this species: 3^‘Rooiberg [2446S:2744E] / Transvaal / xii.1958 ’ (BMNH).

Distribution, phenology and biology (Tables 1, 2, Fig. 129 ): Recorded only from Botswana and South Africa. Most of the records are for Mpumalanga Province.Collected from November to February and April in a region with summer rainfall.

Similar species: R. cornuata sp. n., theroni sp. n. and yeti sp. n.

Figures

Figs 80–91. Rhabdogaster species, male terminalia: (80–82) R. oribi sp. n., Oribi Gorge Reserve holotype: (80) lateral, (81) dorsal, (82) ventral; (83–85) R. pedion sp. n., Royal Natal National Park paratype: (83) lateral, (84) dorsal, (85) ventral; (86–88) R. pellos sp. n., Grahamstown paratype: (86) lateral, (87) dorsal, (88) ventral; (89–91) R. poa sp. n., Serowe paratype: (89) lateral, (90) dorsal, (91) ventral. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Fig. 129. Distribution of Rhabdogaster species: oldroydi (Lindner, 1973) – closed circles; oresbios sp. n. – open circles; pellos sp. n. – closed squares; poa sp. n. – open squares.