Euscelidia flava, Dikow, 2003

Dikow, Torsten, 2003, Revision of the genus Euscelidia Westwood, 1850 (Diptera: Asilidae: Leptogastrinae), African Invertebrates 44 (2), pp. 1-131 : 62-64

Euscelidia flava sp. n.

Figs 34 , 36

Etymology: Latin adjective flavus = golden-yellow; refers to the yellow pruinose scutum.

Diagnosis: The species is distinguished from congeners by the predominantly yellow pruinose sct and the densely arranged microtrichia on the wings.

Description: Head: Black; fc silver or light yellowish pruinose, fc gib indistinct, mystax white, many macrosetae; prob and plp brown, setae white; oc tr apruinose dorsally; occ silver pruinose, setae white; Antennae - scp light brown, brown setae dorsally, white pruinose; ped light brown, brown setae ventrally and dorsally, white pruinose; pped light brown, white pruinose; apsel brown.

Thorax: Brown to black; ppro peg small, distinct, silver pruinose; sct antero-laterally brown, predominantly yellow pruinose, indistinct apruinose spots laterally; macrosetae: 1 white npl s, 1 black spal s; sctl yellow pruinose, ds sctl s and sctl s long, yellow; Legs - yellow to brown; fem light brown to brown, meta fem pale yellow proximally, clubbed; pro tib yellow, meso and meta tib brown, pale yellow stripe not reaching tip anteriorly; first tar yellow, brown distad, remaining tar brown, setae black; emp about a fourth of length of clw; Wings - densely covered with microtrichia; ptero distinct, brown; cell d terminating in 2 veins; hlt light brown.

Abdomen: Brown; yellow pruinose, T1 with long white setae laterally, T 2 in proximal half with white setae laterally, remaining T with short white and yellow setae, S yellow pruinose; ơ terminalia Fig. 34 - sur not sharply pointed distally, lobe ventrally; hypd with pointed lobes distally; d aed shea medium length; lat apod bifurcated.

Type material - The ơ holotype is labelled ‘Ceylon [ Sri Lanka], N. Prov. [Northern Province] 2 mls [3,2 km] E Paraiyanalankulam 20 mls [32 km] W Vavuniya 15.II.62. [15.ii.1962] Loc. 62 / Swept in dry forest / Lund University Ceylon Expedition 1962 Brinck-Andersson-Cederholm / HOLOTYPE Euscelidia flava sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (red label)’. The specimen is directly mounted, is in excellent condition, and is deposited in the MZLU.

A ơ paratype with the same label information, except for ‘ PARATYPE Euscelidia flava sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (yellow label)’ is directly mounted, in relatively poor condition (antennae, prob, right pro tib, left meso leg, and right meso tarsus broken; ơ terminalia attached to specimens pin in micro vial), and is deposited in the MZLU. A ^ paratype is labelled ‘ Ceylon, NW. Prov [North Western Province]

A B C

D

7 mls [11,2 km] NE Puttalam 1.II.62. [1.ii.1962] Loc. 43 / Swept on dry grassland / Lund University Ceylon Expedition 1962 Brinck-Andersson-Cederholm / PARATYPE Euscelidia flava sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (yellow label)’. The specimen is directly mounted, is in excellent condition, and is deposited in the MZLU . A ơ paratype and a paratype of undeterminable gender are labelled ‘ Ceylon, N Prov [Northern Province] Small stream 2 mls [3,2 km] E Mankulam 14.II.62. [14.ii.1962] Loc. 75 / Dry meadow [/ specimen] and Swept along roads in dry forest [undeterminable gender specimen] / Lund University Ceylon Expedition 1962 Brinck-Andersson-Cederholm / PARATYPE Euscelidia flava sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (yellow label)’. Both specimens are directly mounted, are in excellent condition (except for broken abdomen in one specimen), and are deposited in the MZLU .

Type locality and distribution ( Fig. 36 ): Sri Lanka, Paraiyanalankulan , 846'N 80 10'E .

Sri Lanka.

Material examined: Sri Lanka: 1ơ Ma Villu, 8 42'N 80 02'E, 17–21.ii.1979. 1^Kafukola, 804'S 31 57'E; 1 ^Gaikadawala, 13.iii.1976. Depository: USNM .

Figures

Fig. 34. ơ terminalia of Euscelidia flava sp. n. A. Dorsal. B. Ventral. C. Lateral. D. Aedeagus lateral. Scale line = 1 mm.

Fig. 36. Distribution. Euscelidia cobice sp. n., circles; E. flava sp. n., squares; E. prolata sp. n., star; E. splendida sp. n., triangle.