Euscelidia lepida, Dikow, 2003

Dikow, Torsten, 2003, Revision of the genus Euscelidia Westwood, 1850 (Diptera: Asilidae: Leptogastrinae), African Invertebrates 44 (2), pp. 1-131 : 74

Euscelidia lepida sp. n.

Figs 44A–D , 60

Etymology: Latin adjective lepidus = elegant, fine; refers to the beautiful, elegant appearance.

Diagnosis: The species is distinguished from congeners by the broad median apruinose stripe and lateral apruinose spots on the sct, the few microtrichia on the wings, and features of the ơ terminalia (sur rounded distally, narrow ventral lobe situated proximally).

Description: Head: Black; fc silver pruinose, fc gib indistinct, mystax white, 6 macrosetae; prob and plp brown-black, setae white; oc tr white pruinose dorsally; occ silver pruinose, setae white; Antennae - scp dark brown, white setae ventrally, white pruinose; ped dark brown, brown distally, brown setae ventrally and dorsally, white pruinose; pped dark brown, brown proximally, white pruinose proximally and ventrally; apsel brown.

Thorax: Black; ppro peg small, distinct, silver pruinose; sct bluish-black, predominantly silver pruinose, median stripe, not reaching posterior margin, and 2 lateral spots, not reaching anterior and posterior margins, apruinose, white setae on margins; macrosetae: black, 1 npl s, 1 spal s; sctl silver pruinose, ds sctl s and sctl s short, brown; Legs - yellow to brown; fem brown, setae white, meta fem clubbed; tib brown, yellow stripe not reaching tip on meta tib anteriorly; first tar yellow, brown distad, remaining tar brown, setae black; emp little longer than half the length of clw; Wings - hyaline, microtrichia on distal margin of cell r 1 to r 5; ptero distinct, brown; cell d terminating in 2 veins; hlt yellow.

Abdomen: Black; T grey pruinose, T1 with long white and brown setae laterally, T 2 in proximal half with white setae laterally, remaining T with short white and yellow setae, S grey pruinose; ơ terminalia Figs 44A–D - sur blunt, rounded distally, narrow ventral lobe proximally; hypd ventral margin straight; lat pr gonst triangular in lateral view; d aed shea short, pointed; lat apod simple.

Type material - The ơ holotype is labelled ‘ THAILAND: Chieng Mai Province, Doi Suthep, summit 1600 m 27.ix.1981 Zool. Museum Copenhagen leg. / HOLOTYPE Euscelidia lepida sp. nov. det, T. Dikow 2001 (red label).’ The specimen is deposited in the ZMUC.

Type locality and distribution ( Fig. 60 ): Thailand , Chieng Mai Province , Doi Suthep, 1848'N 98 55'E. Thailand .

Figures

Fig. 44. ơ terminalia. A–D. Euscelidia lepida sp. n. A. Dorsal. B. Ventral. C. Lateral. D. Aedeagus lateral. E–I. E. longibifida sp. n. E. Aedeagus lateral. F. Hypandrium posterior. G. Dorsal. H. Ventral. I. Lateral. Scale lines = 1 mm.

Fig. 60. Distribution. Euscelidia lepida sp. n., triangle; E. livida sp. n., square; E. popa sp. n., circle; E. rapacoides, star.