Euscelidia valida (Loew, 1858)

Dikow, Torsten, 2003, Revision of the genus Euscelidia Westwood, 1850 (Diptera: Asilidae: Leptogastrinae), African Invertebrates 44 (2), pp. 1-131 : 113-115

Euscelidia valida (Loew, 1858)

Figs 41, 65

Leptogaster validus Loew, 1858: 352 ; 1860: 99; Hull 1962: 300.

Euscelidia valida, Hermann 1926: 147 ; Oldroyd 1974: 20 1980: 357.

Diagnosis: The species is distinguished from congeners by the large size, distinct facial swelling, predominantly apruinose sct, and the densely arranged microtrichia on the wings.

Redescription: Head: Black; fc yellow pruinose, fc gib distinct, mystax white, many macrosetae; oc tr apruinose; occ silver pruinose, setae white; Antennae - scp brown, setae white; ped brown, setae brown, white pruinose; pped brown, white pruinose proximally; apsel light brown; Thorax: Black; sct predominantly black, 2 antero-lateral spots orange-red, transversal ridges distinct medially, lateral and posterior margins white pruinose, only few white setae scattered on anterior, lateral, and posterior margins, macrosetae: white, 1 npl s, 1 spal s, 1 pal s; sctl silver pruinose, ds sctl s and sctl s long, white; Legs - red-orange to brown; fem red-orange, meta fem pale yellow proximally, clubbed; tib brown, yellow stripe not reaching tip anteriorly; emp about a quarter of length of clw; Wings - proximal half with few microtrichia, distal half densely covered with microtrichia; ptero indistinct, light brown; cell d terminating in 2 veins; hlt light brown; Abdomen: Orange to black; T often orange on anterior and lateral margins, sometimes entirely black, grey pruinose, T1 with white setae, T2 with few white setae laterally, S grey pruinose; ơ terminalia Fig. 65 - sur pointed distally, lobes dorsally and ventrally; hypd ventral margin straight; d aed shea tubular, hook-shaped; lat apod bifurcated.

Type material - The ^ holotype is labelled ‘89. / 259 / 80 52 (red label) / Leptogaster validus / HOLOTYPE Leptogaster validus Loew, 1858 by T. Dikow 2001 (red label)’. The specimen is directly mounted, is in good condition (met legs broken), and is deposited in the NHRS.

Type locality and distribution (Fig. 41): South Africa , ‘ Caffraria’, no co-ordinates available. The type specimens were collected by Wahlberg, who travelled in south-eastern South Africa ( Usher 1972) . Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe .

Material examined: KENYA: 1^ Mombasa, 403'S 39 40'E, 21.xi.1994 ; MALI: 2?? Tillembeya , 14 09'N 459'W, 20.ix.1944 ; NIGERIA: 3 ^^ 3ơơ 1? Yakawada, 1116'N

A B C

D

7 32'E, 15.vii.1972; 1ơ Samaru , 11 10'N 7 37'E, 14–15.vii.1970; SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape Prov: 1^ 1ơ Platrivier , 32 35'S 24 53'E, 1.ii.1903; KwaZulu-Natal: 1ơ Mkuze Game Reserve , 27 36'S 32 13'E, 2–4.ii.1994; TANZANIA: 3^^ Tarangire National Park , 3 50'S 36 10'E, 16+ 22.iii.1995; 1^ Linda , 11 19'S 34 50'E, 21– 31.i.1936; ZAMBIA: 1? Mweru-Wantipa , 8 41'S 29 23'E, 1.ii.1944; ZIMBABWE: 1ơ Matopos National Park, 2028AD, i.1977. Depository : AMNH, BMNH, Coll. Geller-Grimm, ISNB, NHMW, NMSA, USNM, ZMHB .

Figures

Fig. 65. ơ terminalia of Euscelidia valida. A. Dorsal. B. Ventral. C. Lateral. D. Aedeagus lateral. Scale line = 1 mm.