Euscelidia datis (Walker, 1849)

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

Euscelidia datis species-group

Diagnosis of species:All representatives ( artaphernes , datis , rapax , and two new species ( lata , milva )) of this group are distinguished from congeners by the generally large size, darkened wings, the presence of yellow setae on the sct, erect setae on the clubbed meta fem ( Fig. 25 ), and characters of the ơ terminalia (greatly enlarged, sharply inwards pointing tip of sur, very long aed (extending ơ terminalia), and bifurcated lat apod). (Note: The use of this species-group does not intend any ranking of these species as a subgenus or even a genus.)

Remarks: Only ơơ specimens of this group can be identified properly. The many ^^ specimens examined are listed under datis . The development of setae ventrad of the antennae in artaphernes is generally good for identifying ^^ of this species. However, the character is not consistently found in all ơơ specimens and therefore should be used tentatively. Some species of this group are sometimes found sympatrically, e.g. artaphernes and datis in Albertville ( DR Congo) and Bossoum ( Cameroon) and datis and milva in Fort Crampel ( Central African Republic). It is necessary to examine more ơơ specimens to comment on the distribution of every species more accurately (see distribution map in Fig. 26 ).

Figures

Fig. 25. Euscelidia milva sp. n. Lateral aspect of specimen.

Fig. 26. Distribution. E. artaphernes, circles; E. datis, squares; E. lata sp. n., triangles; E. milva sp. n., stars; ^^ of species-group, plus sign.