Euscelidia prolata, Dikow, 2003

Dikow, Torsten, 2003, Revision of the genus Euscelidia Westwood, 1850 (Diptera: Asilidae: Leptogastrinae), African Invertebrates 44 (2), pp. 1-131 : 102

Euscelidia prolata sp. n.

Figs 36 , 57E–H

Etymology: Latin adjective prolatus = elongated; refers to the elongated abdomen.

Diagnosis: The species is distinguished from congeners by the predominantly apruinose, bluish-black sct and the elongated abdomen (wings reaching only T4).

Description: Head: Black; fc silver 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 brown, brown setae ventrally, white pruinose; ped brown, brown setae ventrally and dorsally, white pruinose; pped brown, white pruinose; apsel hyaline.

Thorax: Black; ppro peg small, distinct, silver pruinose; sct predominantly apruinose, grey pruinosity restricted to margins, yellow setae with distinct alveoli scattered on surface, leaving median stripes and lateral spots uncovered; macrosetae: white, 1 npl s, 1 spal s; sctl grey pruinose, ds sctl s and sctl s long, white; Legs - yellow to brown; fem yellow, brown medially, meta fem pale yellow proximally, clubbed, club brown; tib brown, pale yellow stripe not reaching tip anteriorly; first tar yellow, brown distad, remaining tar brown, setae black; emp about a quarter of length of clw; Wings - hyaline; ptero distinct, brown; cell d terminating in 2 veins; hlt light brown.

Abdomen: Black; brown pruinose, lateral margins grey pruinose, T1 with long brown setae laterally, T 2 in proximal third with white setae laterally, remaining T with short white and brown setae, S grey pruinose; ơ terminalia Figs 57E–H - sur pointed distally, lobe ventrally; hypd bent upwards, slightly divided into 2 lobes; d aed shea short, lat pr aed short, extending gonp; lat apod simple.

Type material - The ơ holotype is labelled ‘Ceylon [ Sri Lanka], E. Prov. [Eastern Province] Stream 15 mls [24 km] SSW Batticaloa 8.III.62. [8.iii.1962] Loc. 123 / Dry meadow / Lund University Ceylon Expedition 1962 Brinck-Andersson-Cederholm / HOLOTYPE Euscelidia prolata sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (red label)’. The specimen is double mounted (minuten in block of foam), is in poor condition (antennae, abdomen, and most of the legs broken, abdomen attached to foam block; ơ terminalia attached to specimens pin in micro vial), and is deposited in the MZLU.

Two ^^ paratypes have same labels as holotype except ‘ PARATYPE Euscelidia prolata sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (yellow label)’ are double mounted (minuten in block of foam), are in good to very good condition (one specimen with meso and meta legs broken), and are deposited in the MZLU .

Type locality and distribution ( Fig. 36 ): Sri Lanka , Batticaloa, 742'N 81 41'E. Sri Lanka .

Figures

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

Fig. 57. ơ terminalia. A–D. Euscelidia procula. A. Dorsal. B. Ventral. C. Lateral. D. Aedeagus lateral. E– H. E. prolata sp. n. E. Aedeagus lateral. F. Dorsal. G. Ventral. H. Lateral. Scale line = 1 mm.