Euscelidia acuminata, Dikow, 2003

Dikow, Torsten, 2003, Revision of the genus Euscelidia Westwood, 1850 (Diptera: Asilidae: Leptogastrinae), African Invertebrates 44 (2), pp. 1-131 : 16-18

Euscelidia acuminata sp. n.

Figs 6A, B , 7D , 11F–K , 29

Etymology: Latin adjective acuminatus = pointed; refers to the pointed hypandrium.

Diagnosis: The species is distinguished from congeners by the short, stiff macrosetae comprising the mystax, the predominantly brown pruinose sct, and features of the ơ terminalia (hypd bent upwards and pointed, lat pr aed short, extending gonp).

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

A B C

D E F G

H I K

A - E F - K

Thorax: Black; ppro peg small, distinct, silver pruinose; sct generally black, sometimes orange on anterior margin, brown pruinose, margins silver pruinose, 2 narrow median longitudinal stripes, not reaching posterior margin, and 2 lateral stripes, not reaching anterior and posterior margins, apruinose, yellow setae on margins; macrosetae: 1 white npl s, 1 black spal s; sctl silver pruinose, ds sctl s and sctl s short, white; Legs - yellow to brown; fem yellow proximally, brown distally, white setae, meta fem clubbed, club with short white setae; tib yellow proximally, brown distad, pale yellow stripe not reaching tip anteriorly; first tar yellow, brown distad, remaining tar brown, setae black; emp minute; Wings - hyaline, but microtrichia evenly scattered on remigium; ptero distinct, light brown; cell d terminating in 3 veins; hlt light brown.

Abdomen: Black; T predominantly brown pruinose, anterior, lateral, and posterior margins grey pruinose, T1 with long brown setae laterally, T 2 in proximal third with few brown setae laterally, remaining T with short yellow and brown setae, S grey pruinose; ơ terminalia Figs 11F–K - sur pointed distally, lobe dorsally and ventrally of similar size; hypd bent upwards, pointed at apex; d aed shea short, lat pr aed short, extending gonp; lat apod simple.

Type material - The ơ holotype is labelled ‘SOUTH WEST AFRICA 2217 Ca Windhoek Dist. Auasberge 21 km. S. Windhoek, 1800 m. 31-1-1974, ME Irwin sandy wash in mountains / HOLOTYPE Euscelidia acuminata sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (red label)’. The specimen is double mounted (minuten in block of foam), is in excellent condition, and is deposited in the NMSA.

The 3^^ 4ơơ paratypes have same labels as holotype except ‘ PARATYPE Euscelidia acuminata sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (yellow label)’. The specimens are double mounted (minuten in block of foam), are in very good condition (1 ^ with cracked sct), and are deposited in the NMSA .

Type locality and distribution (Fig. 29): Namibia , Auasberge (21 km S Windhoek ), 2244'S 17 00' E . Angola, Namibia .

Material examined: ANGOLA: 1ơ Capangombe, 1505'S 13 10'E, 17–20.x.1974 ; NAMIBIA: 1? Outjo , 2014'S 15 40'E ; 1ơ Khan River , 21 47'S 15 55'E, 27.iii.1984 ; 1^ 2ơơ 1? Hochfeld , 2129'S 17 50'E, 18.iii.1984 ; 1 ơ Regenstein , 2243'S 17 01'E, 8.ii.1972 ; 1^ 1ơ Witvlei , 2226'S 18 31'E, 17.iii.1984 . Depository : BMNH, NMSA .

Remarks: A specimen of undeterminable gender from South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province is housed in the NMSA, which is very similar to this species. Because of the geographic distance between this locality and the type locality and the poor condition of this specimen I am not able to make further comments about this specimen. The label data are as follows: 1? Fullerton [3310'S 23 49'E], ii.1925, Brauns (NMSA).

Figures

Fig. 6. Aedeagi. A, B. Euscelidia acuminata sp. n. A. Lateral. B. Dorsal. C, D. E. longibifida sp. n.

Fig. 7. Surstyli lateral. A. Euscelidia pallasii. B. E. natalensis sp. n. C. E. bequaerti. D. E. acuminata sp. n. E. E. splendida sp. n. F. E. longibifida sp. n. Scale lines = 100 m.

Fig. 11. ơ terminalia. A–E. Euscelidia peteraxi sp. n. A. Dorsal. B. Ventral. C. Lateral. D. Hypandrium posterior. E. Aedeagus lateral. F–K. E. acuminata sp. n. F. Hypandrium posterior. G. Aedeagus lateral. H. Dorsal. I. Ventral. K. Lateral. Scale lines = 1 mm.