Rhabdogaster yeti, 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 : 287-288

Rhabdogaster yeti sp. n.

Figs 113–115

Etymology: Sherpa name for the Abominable Snowman. Refers to the long white setae covering much of the body of this species.

Description: Based on holotype ơ.

Head: Black, silver pruinose, white setose. Antenna dark red-brown to black, setae white. Face extensively pruinose except for inverted triangular spot in dorsal half. Mystax entirely white, long, occupying almost entire face. Frons weakly pruinose ventrolaterally, vertex entirely pruinose (including ocellar tubercle), long white setose (especially on ocellar tubercle). Occiput entirely pruinose. Proboscis and palpi dark red-brown, setae white.

Thorax: Black, silver pruinose, long white setose. Mesonotum extensively apruinose except laterally. Pleura extensively pruinose except for spots on an- and katepisternum, long white setose. Scutellum entirely apruinose, with numerous long white sctl s along margin and over disc. Postmetacoxal bridge entirely silver pruinose. Legs: cx dark redbrown, silver pruinose, long white setose; troc, fem, tib and tar dark red-brown with slightly paler extremities, almost entirely white setose (minor setae long). Wing 3.9 x 1.4 mm, veins orange-brown, membrane transparent, unstained, entirely devoid of microtrichia (if some are present they are difficult to distinguish from dust particles). Discal and costal cells entirely without microtrichia.

Abdomen: Dark red-brown to black, silver pruinose, white setose. Tergites apruinose middorsally and along anterior and posterior margins, setae white, short medially, long laterally. Sternites entirely pruinose, long white setose. Terminalia ( Figs 113–115 somewhat damaged, left goncx missing): epand in lateral view short, not projecting beyond levels attained by outer lobe of goncx and hypd, tapering to acute tip; in dorsal view lobes moderately fused proximomedially; hypd in lateral view, curved with slightly clavate tip; in ventral view broadly-rounded proximally, tapering rapidly to elongate terminal process. In lateral view external lobe of goncx long, projecting beyond levels attained by epand and hypd, broad, tapering to rounded tip; gonst curved basally, straight and narrow distally.

Variation: The female paratypes agree closely with the male holotype except that they are all larger (wing length ranging from 4.9 to 5.4 mm).

Holotype: ơ NAMIBIA: ‘Auob. [2626S:2037E] S.W.Ka- / lahari, iv-1933 / G. van Son’.

Paratypes: NAMIBIA: 1^‘ Seeheim [2649S:1747E] / 15.iv.1933 / G. v. Son’ ; SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape: 1^‘ Willowmore [3317S:2329E] / Capland / Dr. Brauns / 3 1917 [sideways]’; 2^double-mounted side by side on same card], ‘ Capland / Willowmore / 25.3.1920 / Dr. Brauns’ .

Note: Although the holotype was identified as Holopogon fugax Loew by Oldroyd in 1973, he failed to include the record in his coverage of southern African asilids (Oldroyd, 1974). R. yeti does strongly resemble Afroholopogon fugax ( Loew, 1858) , but the complete postmetacoxal bridge immediately separates these taxa.

Distribution, phenology and biology (Tables 1, 2): Recorded only from Namibia and South Africa.Known from two localities in Namibia and from Willowmore in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.Although there are many kilometres between these localities, the specimens appear conspecific. Collected in March ( South Africa) and April ( Namibia).

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

Figures

Figs 104–115. Rhabdogaster species, male terminalia:(104–106) R. tanylabis sp. n., Witsand Nature Reserve paratype: (104) lateral, (105) dorsal, (106) ventral; (107–109) R. theroni sp. n., Du Toits Kloof paratype: (107) lateral, (108) dorsal, (109) ventral; (110–112) R. xanthokelis sp. n., Ben Lavin Nature Reserve paratype: (110) lateral, (111) dorsal, (112) ventral; (113–115) R. yeti sp. n., Auob holotype: (113) lateral, (114) dorsal, (115) ventral. Scale bars = 1 mm.