Congomochtherus Oldroyd, 1970

Jason G. H. Londt, 2014, The Afrotropical Robber Fly Genus Congomochtherus Oldroyd, 1979 (Diptera: Asilidae: Asilinae), African Invertebrates 55 (2), pp. 333-350 : 335

Congomochtherus Oldroyd, 1970

Congomochtherus Oldroyd, 1970: 305 . Type species: Congomochtherus lobatus Oldroyd, 1970 , by original designation.

Diagnosis: The following diagnosis includes characters used to separate the genus from others in the subfamily Asilinae (Londt 2002) . Head: Antennal style composed of three elements (small basal segment, long main segment and terminal spine-like tip); facial gibbosity only moderately developed. Thorax: Prosternum fused with proepisternum; dorsocentral setae reach transverse suture but do not extend anterior to it; postpronotal lobe with fine, long setae; scutellum with only one pair of marginal macrosetae; anepisternum never with strong macroseta at superoposterior angle, in front of wing insertion; katatergite with a vertical row of macrosetae; anatergite setose. Wings: R2+3 joining R1 proximal to end of R1, cell r1 thus closed and separated from wing margin. Legs: Metathoracic coxa with a single lateral macroseta; metathoracic femora uniformly dark red-brown to black (proximal or distal end may be slightly paler); tibia 1 without an apical spur; alula and pulvilli present. Abdomen: T2 slightly longer than wide; S1 confined beneath T1; male terminal abdominal segments tubular and not laterally compressed; aedeagus more or less straight or with a slight curve; female cerci frequently with short spinose setae dorsally; ovipositor conical.

Relationships: Dikow (2009) included C. inachus in an extensive phylogenetic study, confirming the genus to belong to the Asilinae but refraining from allocating it to any particular tribe (see discussion below).