Rhinia Robineau­Desvoidy, 1830: 422

Kurahashi, Hiromu & Kirk-Spriggs, Ashley H., 2006, The Calliphoridae of Namibia (Diptera: Oestroidea), Zootaxa 1322 (1), pp. 1-131 : 79-81

Genus: Rhinia Robineau­Desvoidy, 1830: 422 .

TYPE SPECIES: Rhinia testacea Robineau­Desvoidy, 1830 [= Idia apicalis Wiedemann, 1830 ], by monotypy.

NOTES: The three described species are restricted to the mainland Afrotropical Region, although R. apicalis has spread to other parts of the world (Zumpt 1958a: 112). Other than the biological details provided below for R. apicalis , virtually nothing is known regarding the biology of the genus (Ferrar 1987: 90).

Rhinia apicalis (Wiedemann, 1830: 354) (Idia) .

Fig. 80 .

TYPE LOCALITY: Canary Islands .

DISTRIBUTION: Widespread Afrotropical Region, North Africa through Middle East to Oriental Region and Pacific islands. Aldabra Is., Amirante Is., Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Chad, Cosmoledo Is., Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rodriguez Is., Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles Is., Socotra Is., South Africa (Cape, Natal, Transvaal), Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

PUBLISHED RECORDS: Gobabeb [23°55'S, 15°03'E], 9.ii.1970; Swakopmund [22°68'S, 14°53'E], 18.i.1970; Ongeama [22°22'S, 17°18'E], 25.i.1970 (Lindner 1976: 78).

KNOWN RECORDS: Narubis, nr. Lowen River, SE2618 Dc , 870 m, 20.ii.1974, M.E. Irwin; Oshikango [17°23'S, 15°53'E], vii.1948, [C.] Koch (NMSA).

MATERIAL: 2♀, Andara , 20–25.viii.1971, [SMStaff], H3361 ; 8♀, Popa Falls (2), 26–31.viii.1971, [SMStaff], H3670 ; 1♀, same except: 26–31.viii.1971, H25109 ; 1♀, Takuasa , 14–19.viii.1971, [SMStaff], H3025 ; 2♂, Riverside 135, 23–26.x.1971, [SMStaff], H4856 ; 1♀, Plateau 38, 4–5.iii.1972, [SMStaff], H7155 ; 1♀, Churutabis 108, 4–12.x.1974, [SMStaff], H20953 ; 2♂, W Lorelei , 8.x.1970, [SMStaff], H2776 ; 1♂, Wasservallei 382, 21–23.xii.1973, [SMStaff], H16265 ; 1♂, Oranjemund , 20.iv.1984, Irish (1), H61073 ; 3♂, De Valle 226 at: 10–12.x.1984, Irish (1), H61601 ; 1♀, Okahandja , 20.xii.[19]72, [Gaerdes], H25073 ; 1♀, same except: 14.xi.[19]71, H25104 ; 1♂, 22♀, Buffalo Base , 3–10.iv.1990, Marais ( PT) ; 2♀, Popa Falls (1), 26.ii–1.iii.1992, Marais & Pusch ; 2♀, same except: (LT); 1♂, 5♀, Ruacana area , 14.iii.1997, Koch ( MT) ; 4♂, 2♀, Viljoenskroon 507, 12–18.xi.1998, Olivier (1) ( MT) ; 1♂, same except: 2–15.ii.1998; 1♀, same except: 3–9.xii.1998; 2♂, same except: 19–25.xi.1998; 1♂, same except: 15–18.xi.1998; 1♀, Fort Doppies , 20–21.x.1999, Kirk­Spriggs (1), Pape & Hauwanga ; 2♀, B8 rest­stop at: 13–15.xii.1999, Marais, Mann & Newman, MMN3, elephant dung; 1♀, Chwaha River, 3 km NE at: 4–10.iv.1990, Marais ( PT) ; 1♀, Sangwali , 25.xi–5.xii.1991, Marais ( PT) ; 1♀, Leeupan , 12–30.i.1991, Marais ( PT) ; 1♀, Nova , 5 km N, 16–18.xii.1999, Marais, Mann & Newman, MMN8, elephant dung ; 1♀, Odila River at: 23.i.1992, Marais ; 1♀, Kwando River at: 4–10.iv.1990, Marais (PT & BT) ; 1♀, Qonisha River, 1 km SW at: 4–10.iv.1990, Marais (PT & BT) ; 1♀, Katima Mulilo , 11–14.iv.1997, Marais ( YP) floodplain savanna; 1♀, Xawasha pan, 2 km W, 26–27.xii.1998, Kirk­Spriggs (1) & Marais ( MT) ; 2♀, Dussi , 10 km W of, 29–30.xii.1998, Kirk­Spriggs (1), Marais & Mann ( MT) ; 3♀, Kwando River: Susuwe , 28.ix–2.x.1998, Kirk­Spriggs (1) ( MT) dry woodland; 1♀, Katara : Okavango River, 20–23.i.1998, Kirk­Spriggs (1) & Marais ( MT) ; 1♀, Matende River, 20–21.i.1998, Marais & Kirk­Spriggs (1) ( MT) primary woodland; 11♀, Simanya : Okavango River, 23–24.i.1998, Kirk­ Spriggs (1) & Marais ( MT) primary woodland; 1♀, Sorris Sorris, SE: Ugab River, 5–6.x.1999, Kirk­Spriggs (1), Pape & Hauwanga ( MT) ; 1♂, 2♀, Okavango River at: 18–19.x.1999, Kirk­ Spriggs (1), Pape & Hauwanga ( MT) ; 1♀, Simataa: Salambala B6, 24–27.ii.2001, Marais & Kirk­Spriggs (1) ( PT) ; 1♂, Leeukop 664, 26–30.x.2001, Kirk­Spriggs (1) & Marais ( MT) riverbed; 5♀, Somerkoms 521, 6–8.ii.2001, Kirk­Spriggs (1), Marais & Wheeler ( MT) ; 2♀, De Hoek 878, 3–6.ii.2001, Kirk­Spriggs (1) & Marais ( MT) ; 2♂, 2♀, Rundu (Kavango Lodge ), 27–29.iii.2003, Kirk­Spriggs (1) & Mey (LT) ; 2♀, Salambala campsite, 22–24.ii.2001, Kirk­ Spriggs (1) & Marais ( MT) ; 1♂, same except: 1–4.iii.2001, Kirk­Spriggs (1) ( MT) ; 1♀, Salambala , 4 km NE of, 25.ii–1.iii.2001, Kirk­Spriggs (1) & Marais ( MT) ; 1♀, Namib Desert Res, Stn., Kuiseb Riv. , 11–18.viii.1997, Kapofi & Irwin ( MT) riparian vegetation; 1♂, 1♀, Masiye: Salamabala [sic – Salambala] B2, 28.ii–3.iii.2001, Kirk­Spriggs (1) ( PT) .

NOTES: Cuthbertson (1933: 104) notes that both sexes feed in flowers in the late dry season in Zimbabwe. Females were observed to lay eggs in the soil at the bottom of Aardvark burrows, as well as in rich humid soil in thickets. Later (Cuthbertson 1938: 124) noted that females were observed at the nests of Bembix Fabricius ( Hymenoptera : Crabronidae , Bembicinae ), and of Cerceris yngvei Cameron ( Hymenoptera : Crabronidae , Philanthinae ) (as Cerceris vumbui Arn. ), and larvae were obtained from the nests of Bembix melanopa Handlirsh. He further notes that females oviposit in soft earth which driver ants ( Dorylus ) excavate from their temporary nests and goes on to describe the oviposition behaviour in some detail. Hulley (1983: 40) reared adults from accumulated chicken manure in poultry houses from several locations in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. In Namibia the species has been collected from fresh dung of the African elephant in the Caprivi, at UV­light, and in yellow pans, pitfall and Malaise traps. Apparently widely distributed throughout Namibia; occurring in all Namibian biomes; especially abundant in the ‘mesic’ savanna biome of north­eastern Namibia ( Fig. 80 ). Recorded throughout the year, except from May to July; most abundantly in January and February (vide Table 2). (Cuthbertson 1938: 124) briefly describes the egg, 3 rd instar larva and puparium, and figures: posterior spiracles of the puparium, from behind (Plate I, 9); anal plate of puparium, from above (ibid, 10); and the cephaloskeleton of the 3 rd instar larva, in lateral aspect (ibid, 12).

Rhinia ? apicalis

MATERIAL: 8♀, Simanya: Okavango River, 23–24.i.1998, Kirk­Spriggs(1) & Marais ( MT) primary woodland ; 1♂, [locality illegible], 7.iii.1944, Fl10, H10527 .

NOTES: The nine specimens appear to be intermediate between R. apicalis and R. nigricornis , but as the material is in poor condition, it is hard to determine the species.

Rhinia nigricornis (Macquart, 1843: 281 (124)) ( Idia ).

Fig. 81 .

TYPE LOCALITY: Senegal .

DISTRIBUTION: Widespread Afrotropical Region: Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gambia, Ghana, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa (Cape, Natal, Transvaal), Uganda, Yemen and Zimbabwe.

PUBLISHED RECORD: Otavi [19°65'S, 17°33'E], iii.1926 (Zumpt 1958a: 117).

MATERIAL: 1♂, Leeukop 664, 26–30.x.2001 , Kirk­Spriggs (1) & Marais ( MT) riverbed; 2♀, Salambala forest , 23–29.xii.2002 , Kirk­Spriggs (2) ( MT); 2♀, Salambala pan, 23–27.xii.2002 , Kirk­ Spriggs (2) ( MT); 1♀, Salambala campsite, 28–29.xii.2002 , Kirk­Spriggs (2) ( HT) fish; 4♂, 33♀, Mannheim Research Station , 31.i–7.ii.2000 , Kirk­Spriggs (1) ( MT) mango plantation; 2♀, Kubunyana camp: Kwando River, 28–30.x.2003 , Kirk­Spriggs (2) ( HT) fruit; 1♀, Somerkoms 521, 6–8.ii.2001 , Kirk­Spriggs (1), Marais & Wheeler ( MT); 1♀, Hippo Lodge (Zambezi River), 6–7.ii.2004 , Kirk­Spriggs (1) ( MT); 8♀, Popa Falls restcamp, 13–16.ii.2004 , Kirk­ Spriggs (1) ( MT), riverine forest; 6♀, Salambala campsite, 8–10.ii.2004 , Kirk­Spriggs (1) ( MT); 1♂, same except: ( HT) fruit; 29♀, Bum Hill campsite ( Kwando River), 10–13.ii.2004 , Kirk­ Spriggs (1) ( MT); 1♂, Viljoenskroon 507, 31.xii.1998 – 6.i.1999 , Olivier (1) ( MT); 1♀, same except: 7–13.i.1999 .

NOTES: Biology and immature stages unknown. In Namibia the species has been taken in hanging traps baited with rotting fish and fermenting fruit bait, as well as in Malaise traps. Apparently restricted to the ‘arid’ and ‘mesic’ savanna biome ( Fig. 81 ). Recorded in January, February, October and December; most abundantly in February (vide Table 2).

Figures

FIGURES 75–80. Distributions of Namibian Calliphoridae species. 75. Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann). 76. C. chloropyga (Wiedemann). 77. C.?laxifrons Villeneuve. 78. C. marginalis (Wiedemann). 79. C. putoria (Wiedemann). 80. Rhinia apicalis (Wiedemann).

FIGURES 81–86. Distributions of Namibian Calliphoridae species. 81. Rhinia nigricornis (Macquart). 82. Stomorhina chapini Curran. 83. S. cribrata (Bigot). 84. S. guttata Villeneuve. 85. S. lunata (Fabricius). 86. S. rugosa (Bigot).