Caenoura sinuatus (Loew, 1858) Londt, 2002

Londt, Jason G. H., 2002, Afrotropical Asilinae (Asilidae): A provisional key to genera, with a review of the status of Neomochtherus Osten Sacken, 1878, and descriptions of new genera and species, African Invertebrates 43, pp. 11-92 : 46-47

Caenoura sinuatus (Loew, 1858) Comb. n. ( Figs 131–137 )

Mochtherus sinuatus Loew, 1858: 366, 1860: 240 –241.

Heligmoneura sinuata ; Kertész, 1909: 288; Ricardo, 1919: 76.

Neomochtherus sinuata ; Hull, 1962: 591.

Neomochtherus sinuatus ; Tsacas, 1969: 30–31; Lehr, 1996: 57.

Type material: Holotype: SOUTH AFRICA: 1^ [seen], ‘[? illegible tiny label]’, ‘62 [?]’, ‘307’, ‘ Mochtherus / sinuatus’, ‘234 / 67’, ‘ Neomochtherus / sinuatus Loew / ^ Holotype / L. Tsacas 1968 ’ ( NHRS).

Material examined: SOUTH AFRICA: 4ơ, Entabeni For. Station , Zoutpansberg Range , 2230CC, i.1975, Stuckenberg , indigenous for.; 4ơ 1^, Zoutpansberg Range , Entabeni Forestry Station , Vera Kop Forest , 23 ° 00'S: 30 ° 14'E, c 1350 m, 15.i.1974, Stuckenberg ; 2^, Entabeni For. Res., 23 ° 00'S: 30 ° 16'E, 7–11.i.1987, Uys ; 1^, Woodbush [23 ° 44'S: 30 ° 02'E], i.1923, Roberts ; 1ơ, 16 km North of Sabie, 25 ° [error – 24 °]58'S: 30 ° 49'E, 1350 m, 11.xii.1997, J. & A. Londt, Forest Falls trail; 1ơ, Pongolobush Nat Res , 2730BC, 15 km W. Luneburg, 19.ii.1979, Londt , Forest & surrounding area; 1ơ 1^, Nkandla Forest Res., 28 ° 44'35''S: 31 ° 09'00''E, 1000 m, 27.i.1988, Londt , Mistbelt Mixed Forest margins; 2ơ 2^, n’Kandhla [= Nkandla] Forest , i.1937, Lawrence ( SAMC); 1ơ, Eshowe [28 ° 53'S: 31 ° 28'E], Dlinza forest , 17.i.1984, Reavell, In shade on ground; 1ơ 1^, Eshowe, Dlinza Forest Nature Res., 2831 Cd, 450 m, 22.xii.1979 (^) 21.i.1980 (ơ), Miller & Stabbins, indig. for.; 1^, Dlinza Forest Reserve , 28 ° 53'30''S: 31 ° 26'50''E, 530 m, 26– 27.1.1988, Londt, Coast Scarp Forest; 1^, St Lucia, Smith’s Farm, 28 ° 20'S: 32 ° 25'E, 40 m, 12.i.1986, Reavell, Grass patch in sandveld forest; 1ơ, Pietermaritzburg, Town Bush, 2930 Cb, 14.iii.1981, Londt; 1ơ, Town Bush, 2930CB, Pietermaritzburg, 22.iv. 1980, Londt; 1ơ, Town Bush, Pietermaritzburg, iv.1976, Miller; 1^, Townbush Valley, Pietermaritzburg, xii.1976, Miller, malaise; 1ơ 1^, Town Bush, Pietermaritzburg, iv.1976, Miller; 1^, Town Bush, Pietermaritzburg, 2.ii.1984, Griswold; 1^, Pietermaritzburg, Town Bush, 2930 Cb, 10.iii.1983, Londt. ZIMBABWE: 1^, Mnt. Selinda [20 ° 25'S: 32 ° 42'E], xii.1935, van Son .

Material not studied: Ricardo (1919) reported ‘males and females from Malvern and Howick, Natal, J P Cregoe and G A K Marshall’.

Type locality: South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, Ferncliffe Nature Reserve – by present designation.As much of Wahlberg’s material was simply labelled Caffraria, and as he travelled through the Pietermaritzburg area where the species has been found at Ferncliffe Nature Reserve , this is an appropriate type locality .

Comments : Loew (1858) described the species on a unique female specimen, but later referred to a male (Loew 1860) which I have not seen. Tsacas (1969) redescribed the holotype without reference to the male (whose repository is not known). I feel sure that the males I have listed are correctly associated with the holotype. The extent of microtrichial coverage of the wings easily separates the species from its congener annulitarsis . Although there are only a few records, the species appears to be limited to montane forests in the eastern parts of South Africa and Zimbabwe ( Fig. 252 ). The specimen from Zimbabwe has antennae which show slight differences from other material .

Figures

Figs 131–137. Caenoura sinuatus (Loew, 1858) Comb. n. (Entabeni Forest ơ & ^). 131. Antenna. 132. Wing. 133–135. ơ genitalia. 133. Lateral. 134. Dorsal. 135. Ventral. 136–137. ^ genitalia. 136. Lateral. 137. Dorsal. Scale lines = 1 mm.

Fig. 252. Distribution of Caenoura sinuatus.