Saropogon pulverulentus Wulp, 1899

Londt, Jason G. H., 1997, Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 29. A review of the genus Saropogon Loew, 1847 (Dasypogoninae), ANNALS OF THE NATAL MUSEUM 38, pp. 137-157 : 149-151

Saropogon pulverulentus Wulp, 1899

Figs 21 -25

Saropogon pulverulentus Wulp, 1899: 83 PI. II fig 2 (whole 0).

Wulp (1899) described this species on 'several specimens of both sexes' collected by Col. Yerbury from Huswah across Aden harbour (Aden - 12°47'N: 45 °03'E) and Shaik Othman (Shaikh 'Othman - 12° 53'N: 45°01 'E) in South Yemen. The OXUM has sent me two males, three females and one specimen without abdomen (listed below). I assume this to be the entire type series. Wulp (1899) did not designate a holotype, so all his specimens must be considered syntypes. I here designate the male labelled as Type Dip: 181 1/6 (accession number 7684) as lectotype and consider the other OXUM specimens to be paralectotypes.

Redescription: Based on lectotype ♂.

Head Head ((Figs Figs 21 21 - -22 22)):: Face Face probably probably brown-yellow brown-yellow but but heavily heavily gold gold pruinose pruinose effectively effectively masking masking colour colour;; frons frons,, vertex vertex and and occiput occiput dark dark red-brown red-brown to to black black,, silver silver pruinose pruinose except except for for transverse transverse band band across across vertex vertex,, including including most most of of ocellarium ocellarium,, which which is is shiny shiny apruinose apruinose.. All All setae setae pale pale whitish whitish.. Antenna Antenna pale pale brown-yellow brown-yellow;; setae setae white white;; proportional proportional lengths lengths of of segments segments - - 1 1:: 1.4 1.4:: 3.2 3.2:: 0.3 0.3;; microsegment microsegment with with subapical subapical pit-enclosed pit-enclosed seta seta.. Width Width of of eye eye:: width width of of face face ratio ratio 1.1 1.1:: 1 1.. Mystax Mystax white white;; composed composed of of ca ca.. 30 30 setae setae arranged arranged in in 2 2- -3 3 rows rows along along lower lower facial facial margin margin.. Palpus Palpus brown-yellow brown-yellow.. Proboscis Proboscis red-brown red-brown,, slightly slightly downcurved distally.

downcurved

distally

.

Thorax: Mesonotum dark red-brown, postpronotal and postalar lobes brown-yellow; strongly silver pruinose except postpronotal lobe which is gold pruinose. Macrosetae yellow-white: 2-3 npl; 3-4 spal; 2 pal; ca. 4 pairs dc postsuturally; pronotal lobes equipped with 4-5 macrosetae. Scutellum brown-orange; 4 yellow-white marginal macrosetae; disc asetose, gold pruinose. Pleura red-brown, strongly gold pruinose; katatergite with ca. 20 scattered yellow-white setae. Wing: 8.4 x 3.0 mm; cell m] closed and stalked, cup very narrowly open; membrane unstained, slightly milky opaque; microtrichia largely absent except for a few at tip and along margins. Halter: Dark brown. Legs: Pale brown-yellow; setae pale yellowish and dark red-brown, the latter mostly on tarsi.

Abdomen: Brown-orange except for anterior parts of TI-2 and anterolateral parts of T3-7 which are red-brown (extent progressively diminishing posteriorly); macrosetae pale yellow, confined to lateral parts of T1. Genitalia (Figs 23-25): not or barely rotated; proctiger with ventrally directed process (Fig. 23); hypandrium with membranous distal lobe (Fig. 25); phallus with small terminal penisfillum (Fig. 25).

Variation: Paralectotypes reasonably consistent with lectotype. Cell cup sometimes closed on wing margin; marginal scutellar macrosetae may be three in number; extent of red-brown coloration of abdomen may be greater. One specimen has dorsal parts of all femora slightly brownish.

Material examined: Types ( OXUM): SOUTH YEMEN: 1 ♂ lectotype, ' Type / v.d. Wulp / Trans. Ent. Soc. / 1899, page 83 / pI. ii, fig. 2'; ' So W. Arabia / 6 m. N. of Aden / Shaik Othman / Capt. Apr. 1.95 [1895] / & pres. 1899 by / J. W. Yerbury'; ' 1899/ 7684 ' ; ' Type Dip: 181 1 /6 / Saropogon / pulverulentus / van der Wulp / Hope Dept . Oxford'. 1 ♂ 3 ♀ paralectotypes, with same data but 1899/7688 (Type 181 2/6), 1899/7682 (Type 181 3/6), Apr. 5.95, 1899/7686 (Type 181 4/6), 1899/7683 (Type 181 5/6). I? paralectotype, ' Type / v.d. Wulp / Trans. Ent. Soc. / 1899, page 83 / pI. ii, fig. 2'; ' So W. Arabia / shore opposite / Aden, Huswah / Capt. Apr. 14.95 [1895] / & pres. 1899 by / J. W. Yerbury / MS by J.w.y.'; ' 1899/ 7685 '; ' Type Dip : 181 6/6 / Saropogon / pulverulentus / van der WUlp / Hope Dept . Oxford' .

Other: ERITREA: 1 ♀ ' Eritrea: / Wachiro [15 °50'N: 39°20'E] / 17.xii. 1955 / D. J. Greathead' ( BMNH) ; 1 ♀ ' Eritrea: / plain near / Karora [= Kerora - 17°42'N:38°22'E] / 22.xi.1955 / D. J. Greathead' ( BMNH) . OMAN: 2 ♂ 1 ♀ ' Dhofar [= Zufar ] / Salalah s.l. [lrOO'N: 54°04'E] / 21.9.1977 / K. Guichard' ( BMNH) ; I ♀ ' Dhofar / Raysut [16°56'N: 54°00'E] / 7.x.77 / KG [K. Guichard]' ( BMNH) .

Relationships: Wulp compared this species with S. vestitus Wiedemann while Hull (1962) considered pulverulentus to be a synonym of alternatus Loew. The true position of the species will probably not be understood before a complete review of all palaearctic taxa has been undertaken. The species is, however, readily separable from all other afrotropical taxa.

Figures

Figs Figs 21 21- -25 25.. Saropogon Saropogon pulverulentus pulverulentus Wulp Wulp.. 21 21- -22 22.. Head Head,, d d ((Dhofar Dhofar)).. 21 21.. Lateral Lateral.. 22 22.. Anterior Anterior.. 23 23- -25 25.. d d genitalia genitalia,, paralectotype paralectotype ((Shaik Shaik Othman Othman)).. 23 23.. Lateral Lateral.. 24 24.. Dorsal Dorsal.. 25 25.. Ventral Ventral.. Scale Scale lines lines equal equall! mm mm.