Euscelidia bechuana, Dikow, 2003

Dikow, Torsten, 2003, Revision of the genus Euscelidia Westwood, 1850 (Diptera: Asilidae: Leptogastrinae), African Invertebrates 44 (2), pp. 1-131 : 21-22

Euscelidia bechuana sp. n.

Figs 13A–E , 14

Etymology: Noun in apposition derived from the name Bechuanaland (previously used for Botswana); refers to the distribution of the species in this country.

Diagnosis: The species is distinguished from congeners by the three lateral apruinose spots on the sct and features of the ơ terminalia ( Figs 13A–E ).

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

Thorax: Orange-red to black; ppro peg small, distinct, silver pruinose; sct orange-red antero-laterally, predominantly silver pruinose, 1 antero-lateral circular apruinose spot, 2 lateral apruinose spots anterior and posterior to trn sut, sometimes 2 narrow longitudinal median apruinose stripes not reaching posterior margin present; macrosetae: 1 white

A B C D E F G

H I K

A - E F - K

npl s, 1 black spal s; sctl silver pruinose, ds sctl s and sctl s long, brown; Legs - yellow to brown; fem light brown, meta fem pale yellow proximally, clubbed, club with brown stripe laterally; tib light brown, pale yellow stripe not reaching tip anteriorly; first tar yellow, brown distad, remaining tar brown, setae black; emp minute; Wings - hyaline, few microtrichia scattered on remigium, slightly brown stained, veins brown; ptero distinct, brown; cell d terminating in 2 veins; hlt light brown.

Abdomen: Black; brown pruinose medially, grey pruinose on anterior, lateral, and posterior margins, T1 with long brown setae laterally, T2 with few white setae laterally, remaining T with short yellow and brown setae, S grey pruinose; ơ terminalia Figs 13A–E - sur pointed distally, lobe ventrally; hypd bent upwards, divided into 2 lobes; d aed shea short, blunt; lat apod simple.

Type material - The ơ holotype is labelled ‘ Malaise trap Serowe, Botswana Forchhammer leg. Date 4-x 1983 [4.x.1983] (‘Malaise trap’ and date handwritten) / HOLOTYPE Euscelidia bechuana sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (red label)’. The specimen is directly mounted, is in good condition (left meta leg broken), and is deposited in the NMSA.

11 ơ paratypes collected in Malaise traps by P. Forchhammer in Serowe or at Farmers Brigade 5 km SE of Serowe are also deposited in the NMSA and are labelled ‘ PARATYPE Euscelidia bechuana sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (yellow label)’. Collection dates: 2ơơ ii.1983, 1ơ 14.ix.1983, 1ơ 5.xi.1983, 1ơ 28.ii.1985, 2ơơ 2.i.1986, 1ơ iii.1986, 2ơơ xi.1986, 1ơ xii.1989. They are directly mounted and in poor to good condition. Two ơơ paratypes are labelled ‘ S.W. AFRICA [ Namibia] Ameib Farm 19 mls. [30 km] NW Karibib, 31.i.–2.ii.1972 / Southern African Exp. B.M. [British Museum] 1972–1 / PARATYPE Euscelidia bechuana sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (yellow label)’. The specimens are directly mounted, are in good condition (1 ơ with right legs broken and ơ terminalia attached to specimens pin in micro vial), and are deposited in the BMNH. Type locality and distribution ( Fig. 14 ): Botswana , Serowe , 2222'S 26 43'E. Botswana, Namibia .

Remarks: ^^ specimens cannot be determined with certainty, but examined material I consider as belonging to this species is listed here: BOTSWANA: 9^ Serowe, 22 22'S 26 43'E, 15.x.1983, ix.1985, 2.i.1986, iii., iv., ix., xi., xii.1986, iii.1992; SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: 1^ Mfongosi, 2718'S 32 16'E, ii.1917; 1 ^ Umlaas road, 2944'S 30 31'E, iv.1981; ZIMBABWE: 1 ^ Vumba, 19 04'S 32 45'E, 3.iii.1931. Depository: BMNH, NMSA.

Figures

Fig. 13. ơ terminalia. A–E. Euscelidia bechuana sp. n. A. Dorsal. B. Ventral. C. Lateral. D. Hypandrium posterior. E. Aedeagus lateral. F–K. E. bequaerti. F. Hypandrium posterior. G. Aedeagus lateral. H. Dorsal. I. Ventral. K. Lateral. Scale lines = 1 mm.

Fig. 14. Distribution. Euscelidia bechuana sp. n., pentagons; E. fistula sp. n., squares; E. longibifida sp. n., circles; E. peteraxi sp. n., triangles.