Dolichocolon africanum, MESNIL, 1968

Cerretti, Pierfilippo & Shima, Hiroshi, 2011, World revision of Dolichocolon Brauer & Bergenstamm (Diptera: Tachinidae: Exoristinae: Goniini), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 162 (3), pp. 544-584 : 562-564

DOLICHOCOLON AFRICANUM MESNIL, 1968

( FIG. 12A–D )

africanum Mesnil, 1968: 176 (Dolichocolon) . Type locality: D. R. Congo, Rwindi .

Type material: Holotype ♂: Congo belge: P. N. A./Rwindi [0°47′S 29°17′E]/ 1000 m. 26.xi.1934 /G.F. de Witte: 818// Dolichocolon africanum Mesnil / L.P. Mesnil det., 1967// TYPE // HOLOTYPE ♂ /of Dolichocolon / africanum /Mesnil/Examined 1970/ R. W. Crosskey [ CNC].

Notes: Dissected male terminalia of the holotype are preserved in a small glass vial and pinned separately.

Other material examined: South Africa: 1 ♂, Western Cape Province, Knysna, Bridge of the N2 road on the Goukamma River , 34°01′52′′S 22°56′21′′E, 12–15.xii.2007, leg. P. Cerretti, M. Mei, G. Nardi [PC] . 1 ♂, Gauteng, Johannesburg , 2.i.1950, Leg. Zumpt [ RBINS] . Tanzania: 1 ♂, Lugoba [6°27′S 38°20′E], Rt B 1218, 25.viii.1996, leg. A. Freidberg [ TAU] .

Re-description: Body length: 8.6 - 9.7 mm.

Coloration and pruinescence: Head mostly black, with part of gena and parafacial reddish, covered with light grey pruinescence. Scape and pedicel varying from fuscous red to black; postpedicel black or, at most, yellowish only at base. Thickened part of third aristomere varying from red to black. Palpus yellow, at least apically. Thorax (except scutellum and postalar callus) black; posterior 2/3–3/4 of scutellum reddish-yellow; postalar callus yellow; scutum with four presutural dark vittae, lateral vitta distinctly outlined and ending wedge-shaped beside posthumeral seta. Legs black or dark brown, sometimes tibiae partially yellowish. Tegula and basicosta black. Abdomen black, more or less reddish on sides of tergites 3 and 4; tergites 3 and 4 with regular transverse bands of whitish-grey pruinescence on anterior 1/2–2/3; tergite 5 pruinose on anterior 3/4–4/5.

Head: Compound eye bare. Arista thickened on basal 1/2. Second aristomere 4.5–7.0 times as long as wide. Thickened part of third aristomere 1.0–1.5 times as long as second aristomere. Postpedicel 6.5–7.5 times as long as pedicel. Vertex at its narrowest point 1.0–1.2 times as wide as compound eye in dorsal view. Lateral vertical seta slightly differentiated from postocular setae. Eight frontal setae descending below level of base of arista. Gena in profile about 0.20–0.25 times as high as compound eye. Postocular setae fine, relatively long, slightly bent anteriorly. Prementum about 1.5–2.5 times as long as wide.

Abdomen: Syntergite 1 + 2 with or without median marginal setae. Tergite 3 with one pair of median marginal setae at least as long as corresponding tergite (usually clearly longer). Tergite 4 with a row of ten marginal setae. Tergite 5 with a row of marginal setae and several, very short, discal setae.

Male terminalia ( Fig. 12A–D ): Epandrium relatively long and narrow. Hypandrial arms strong and not bent anteriorly. Distal 1/3–2/5 of cerci widely apart. Cerci, in posterior view, wide, relatively short, with brush-like fine medioclinate setulae arising from median slope of a longitudinal carina ( Fig. 12B, D ); proximal end of carina slightly pronounced (knoblike), with long lateroclinate setae ( Fig. 12B, D ). Cerci, in lateral view, not or very slightly bent posteriorly ( Fig. 12A ); not widened apically. Medioventral sclerite of cerci at most slightly visible in profile. Lateral margin of cerci sinuous without a distinct lobe ( Fig. 12C, D ); medial preapical tooth well developed. Surstylus, in lateral view, very long, paddlelike, strongly bent posteriorly almost down to the base ( Fig. 12A, D ).

Hosts: Unknown.

Distribution: Afrotropical: D. R. Congo, South Africa (new record), Tanzania (new record).

Figures

Figure 12. Dolichocolon africanum Mesnil. A, terminalia in lateral view (holotype); B, terminalia in posterior view (Lugoba, Tanzania) (arrow indicates longitudinal carina); C, detail of proximal end of longitudinal carina of cerci (Lugoba, Tanzania); D, terminalia in posterolateral view (Johannesburg, South Africa).