Trichardis picta : Hermann 1906: 139–141 Kertész 1909: 159 Engel 1924: 107 Hull 1962: 97 Trichardis lucifera : Oldroyd 1980: 356 A review of Afrotropical Trichardis Hermann, 1906, and the description of the first Oriental representative of the genus (Diptera: Asilidae: Laphriinae) Londt, Jason G. H. African Invertebrates 2008 2008-12-31 49 2 171 171 587YX 1717493 Hermann, 1906 : Hermann 1906 [444,804,1062,1087] Insecta Asilidae Trichardis Animalia Diptera 24 195 Arthropoda species picta   Figs 37–40, 59      Trichardis picta: Hermann 1906: 139–141;  Kertész 1909: 159;  Engel 1924: 107;  Hull 1962: 97; Oldroyd 1974: 119; 1980: 356 (catalogue).    Trichardis Lucifer: Oldroyd 1974: 120. Syn. n.    Trichardis lucifera: Oldroyd 1980: 356(catalogue), unjustified emendation.  Redescription (based on holotypein excellent condition):  Head: Dark red-brown except for brown-orange face, colours masked by strong silver pruinescence, setae white. Antenna brown-yellow except for brown distal part of postpedicel and style, setae white; postpedicel not markedly clavate (L:D=3.2:1). Mystax white. Ocellar tubercle with 6 macrosetae. Proboscis red-brown, palpi brown-orange. Thorax: Dark red-brown, colour masked by strong silver pruinescence, pale yellow-white setose. Postpronotum entirely pruinose, mesonotum entirely pruinose, but more weakly posteriorly. Scutellum pruinose except for hind margin. Anepisternum with pale yellow posterior macroseta, entirely pruinose. Proepimeron, katepisternum and anepisternum entirely pruinose. Legs: Dark red-brown, narrowly brown-orange proximally, pulvilli and empodium of similar length. Hind femur dark red-brown with brown-orange proximal parts, length:height ratio 3.9:1, ventral tubercles poorly developed. Hind tibia lacking ventrodistal spur. Wing: 5.8× 2.2 mm. Costal vein strongly developed as far as wing tip, then very weakly developed along posterior margin of wing and absent from alula. Membrane devoid of microtrichiae, including discal and r 5cells.  Abdomen: Red-brown, extensively silver pruinose except for hind margins of terga and transverse bands across each tergite at about mid-length, setae white. T2 red-brown, strongly pruinose except for apruinose hind margin and weakly pruinose central area.  ơgenitalia ( Figs 37, 38): Epandrium in lateral view slightly longer than basal part of gonocoxite (i.e. excluding distal projection of gonocoxite and gonostylus). Proctiger hardly dorsoventrally compressed. Hypandrium greatly reduced and simple. Gonocoxite in ventral view without projections and with about 7 small, distally arranged macrosetae; mediodistal projection fairly stout with upturned sclerotised distal end. Gonostylus stout, laterally flanged, with broad laterally compressed tip. Aedeagal prongs small, straight. Notes on type material: Hermann (1906)based his description on ‘ ơ’ (number of specimens not stated) from ‘Capland, Willowmore (Dr. Brauns)’. While Engel (1924: 107)records the following material ‘^Lichtenburg, Transvaal. – 1 ơ^Willowmore, Kapland, Dr. Brauns leg.’, and these ZSMC specimens (listed below) carry type labels, as do a pair of ‘cotype’ specimens in the AMGS (also listed below), only one specimenwas collected before the published description. The single 1905 specimen must be considered the holotype, others were presurably mislabelled as types by Engel and possibly other workers. The two BMNH specimens of  lucifer( holotypeand paratype) when received, were incorrectly labelled—the female from Kahn Riverbeing labelled as the holotype. As Oldroyd (1974) clearly indicated that the male from Satansplatz was the holotype, these labels have been switched. While Oldroyd (1974) called the species  lucifer,presumably because the type locality was Satansplatz (i.e. Satan’s Place, referring to Lucifer), the spelling was amended to read  luciferain the Afrotropical Dipteracatalogue (1980) by the Editor R.W. Crosskey, a change I consider both unnecessary and inappropriate as the name  luciferahas a totally different derivation (from Latin lux). I consider the synonymy of  luciferwith  pictato be entirely justified.  T. pictais a widely distributed species displaying variation over its range. The paler colour of the  lucifer typesrepresents variation, and while the male genitalia do show slight differences ( Figs 39, 40), these too are considered to be within acceptable limits of variation. Type specimens studied: SOUTH AFRICA: 1 ơ( holotype  picta)‘Capland / Willowmor [Willowmore: 33°17'S: 23°29'E] / 20 1 1905/ Dr. Brauns’, ‘Sammlung / F. Hermann’, ‘Type von / ơ Trichardis/ p ictaHerm.’ [orange] (ZSMC); NAMIBIA: ơ( holotype  lucifer)‘Holo- / type’ [circular with red border], ‘S. W. Africa: Satansplatz. [ 24°51'S: 17°31'E] / 1300m. / 17–19.xii.1933. / K. Jordan’, ‘Brit. Mus. / 1934–288’, ‘  Trichardis/  luciferOldr./ det. H. Oldroyd 1972 / Paratype’ [white] (BMNH); 1^( paratype  lucifer)‘Para- / type’ [circular with yellow border], ‘Southern / African Exp. / B.M. 1972–1’, ‘S.W. Africa (29) / Kahn River, 5 mls. / N. Usakos [ 22°00'S: 15°34'E] / 30–31.i.1972’, ‘  Trichardis/  luciferOld./ det. H. Oldroyd 1972 / Holotype’ [white] (BMNH). Other material examined:  NAMIBIA:  1^Otjitundua[ 18°39'S: 14°14'E],  iii.1926, Mus. Exped.( SAMC);   1^60kmE Otjiwarongo, 20°39'S: 17°05'E,  20.iii.1984, Londt& Stuckenberg,  Acaciathornveld and dry river course; 2 ơ  1^26kmN Windhoek, 22°20'S: 17°04'E,  29.iii.1984, Londt& Stuckenberg, dry river bed  Acaciariparian woodland; 2 ơ   1^191kmE Walvis Bay[ 22°57'S: 14°30'E],  12.xi.1963, Moore( NMNH); 1 ơ 3^1? Hakas Mts[Hakos Mts, 23°10'S: 16°20'E],  12.xi.1963( 1^),  13.xi.1963(1 ơ 2^1?), Moore( NMNH); 4 ơ 3^Gobabeb[ 23°33'S: 15°02'E],  17.xi.1963, Moore( NMNH); 3 ơ  1^NamibDesert Park, Kuiseb R.at Gobabeb, 2315 Ca,  12.ii.1974, Irwin, riverine forest and sand; 1 ơKuiseb R., 9.xii.1976, Cunningham;   2^KeetmanshoopDist.,  17.5 kmN Grünau, 2718 Bc,  1350 m,  30.i.1974, Irwin, dry river bed; 2 ơ Fish RiverCanyon Park, Ai-Ais[ 27°55'S: 17°29'E],  19–21.xi.1993, Koch( ZMHB).  SOUTH AFRICA: 1 ơ Baberspan, 25°07'S: 26°05'E,  14–21.xii.1993, Joffe;  1^Lichtenburg[ 26°09'S: 26°10'E], Brauns( ZSMC); 1 ơ   2^10kmW Bloubos Farm, 28°07'S: 20°45'E,  900 m,  17.iii.1991, Londt& Whittington, red dunes [habitat] N Upington; 1 ơ Bloemfontein[ 29°10'S: 26°00'E],  13.ii.1918( SANC);    1^5kmS Laingsburg, 33°14'S: 20°52'E,  700 m,  25.xi.1990, Londt& Whittington, Banks Buffels River; 1 ơ Gamka R.  40 kmN Prince Albert, 3321BB,  500 m,  11.xi.1986, Londt& Quickelberge, sandy area/ Acacias; 1 ơ Meiringspoort, 3322BC,  11–12.xii.1979, Londt& Stuckenberg, rocky hillside & stream edge; 8 ơ 2^Diepkloofca  20 kmE De Rust, 3322BD,  12.xii.1979, Londt& Stuckenberg, dry rocky hillside & stream;   1^Graaff-ReinetUrquhart Park Caravan Park, 32°15'S: 24°33'E,  4–6.xii.1988, Londt, riverine vegetation, sandy ground; 1 ơ Middelburg[ 31°29'S: 25°01'E],  13.ii.1925, Munro; 3 ơ  2^RietvleiNieuveld Escarpment[ 32°20'S: 21°30'E],  i.1949, Zinn& Hesse( SAMC);   1^TankwaKaroo[ 32°30'E 19°45'E],  i.1949, Zinn& Hesse( SAMC); 1 ơ Letjiesbosch Koup[ 32°34'S: 22°16'E],  iii.1937, Mus. Staff( SAMC); 2 ơ 7^Merweville[ 32°40'S: 21°31'E],  i–ii.1947, Zinn( SAMC); 1 ơ  1^MerwevilleLainsburg Dist.,  i.1959, Zinn( SAMC); 1 ơ Dikbome Merweville Koup,  i.1953, Zinn( SAMC); 1 ơ Oukloof Beaufort West[ 33°15'S: 22°06'E],  i.1949, Zinn& Hesse( SAMC);   1^Willowmore[ 33°17'S: 23°29'E],  25.ii.1907, Brauns( ZSMC); 1 ơ 1^Willowmore,  5.ii.1907( 1^),  1.iii.1907(1 ơ), Brauns( AMGS); 2 ơ 3^Willowmore,  25.ii.1907( 1^),  1.xii.1909(1 ơ),  xii.1912( 1^),  25.xii.1916(1 ơ),  10.xii.1920( 1^), Brauns; 2 ơ 1^Willowmore,  5.ii.1907(1 ơ),  1.xii.1920( 1^), no date (1 ơ), Brauns( NMNH); 1 ơ 1^Willowmore,  20.i.1908, Brauns( BMNH);   1^Willowmore,  25.xii.1915, Brauns( MRAC); 1 ơ Willowmore,  15.xii.1917, Brauns( SAMC); 6 ơ  3^RooinekLainsburg Dist.[ 33°20'S: 20°55'E],  i.1949, Zinn& Hesse( SAMC);   1^RooinekPass,  x.1952, Mus. Expd.( SAMC); 4 ơ  1^TierbergRes. Stat. Prince Albert Dist., 33°07'42"S: 22°16'24"E,  26.xi–5.xii.1987, Gess( AMGS); 1 ơ  1^DeHoek Uitenhage[ 33°45'S: 25°24'E],  11.iii.1919, Munro( NMNH). Distribution and biology: The species is a southern African endemic being found in the western parts of the region. It ranges from northern Namibiasouthwards to the Western and Eastern Cape provinces ( Fig. 59). Adults fly between October and March (Table 1). Personal experience and label data indicate that the species frequents  Acaciawoodland and is associated with sandy stream banks or dry river courses where individuals rest on the ground. Two prey records are known to me, both in AMGS: 1 ơ(Tierberg, Prince Albert Dist.) pinned with a pollen wasp ( Hymenoptera: Masaridae), and 1^(same locality) pinned with a tachinid fly ( Diptera: Tachinidae). Similar species:  T. pictahas an entirely pruinose postpronotal lobe and in this respect can be grouped with  apicalis, grisescens, ornata, terminalis, testacea, turneriand  zinidi.The species is, however, distinctive and difficult to confuse with others in this group. [422,1138,1455,1478] 1926-03 SAMC Mus. Exped. Namibia -18.65 Otjitundua 1274 14.233334 25 196 1 1984-03-20 Londt & Stuckenberg Namibia -20.65 Otjiwarongo 1267 17.083334 25 196 1 1984-03-29 Londt & Stuckenberg Namibia -22.333334 Windhoek 1260 17.066668 25 196 1 [429,1138,1527,1550] 1963-11-12 NMNH Moore Namibia -22.95 191 km E Walvis Bay 1258 14.5 25 196 1 1963-11-12 1963-11-13 1963-11-12 NMNH Moore Namibia -23.166666 Hakas Mts 1256 16.333334 25 196 1 [280,880,1575,1598] 1963-11-17 NMNH Moore Namibia -23.55 Gobabeb 1255 15.033334 25 196 1 1974-02-12 Kuiseb R. & Irwin Namibia Ca Namib Desert Park Gobabeb 25 196 1 1974-01-30 Irwin Namibia 1350 Keetmanshoop Dist. Bc 25 196 1 [230,1054,1647,1670] 1993-11-19 1993-11-21 1993-11-19 ZMHB Koch Namibia -27.916666 Fish River 1234 17.483334 Ai-Ais 25 196 1 1993-12-14 1993-12-21 1993-12-14 ZSMC Joffe & Brauns South Africa 26 197 -26.15 Baberspan 1243 26.166666 Lichtenburg 25 196 1 1991-03-17 Londt & Whittington & Upington South Africa 900 -28.116667 10 km W Bloubos Farm 1233 20.75 26 197 1 [393,891,250,273] 1918-02-13 SANC South Africa -29.166666 Bloemfontein 1228 26.0 26 197 1 1990-11-25 Londt & Whittington South Africa 700 -33.233334 Banks Buffels River 1206 20.866667 26 197 1 1986-11-11 Gamka R. & Londt & Quickelberge & Acacias South Africa 500 40 km N Prince Albert 26 197 1 1979-12-11 1979-12-12 1979-12-11 Londt & Stuckenberg South Africa Meiringspoort 26 197 1 1979-12-12 Londt & Stuckenberg South Africa Diepkloof 26 197 1 1988-12-04 1988-12-06 1988-12-04 Londt South Africa -32.25 Graaff-Reinet Urquhart Park Caravan Park 1211 24.55 26 197 1 1925-02-13 Munro South Africa -31.483334 Middelburg 1216 25.016666 26 197 1 1949-01 SAMC Zinn & Hesse South Africa -32.333332 Rietvlei Nieuveld Escarpment 1211 21.5 26 197 1 [436,1069,418,441] 1949-01 SAMC Zinn & Hesse South Africa Tankwa Karoo 19.75 26 197 1 1937-03 SAMC Mus. Staff South Africa -32.566666 Letjiesbosch Koup 1210 22.266666 26 197 1 1947-01 1947-02-31 1947-01 SAMC Zinn South Africa -32.666668 Merweville 1209 21.516666 26 197 1 [368,877,468,488] 1959-01 SAMC Zinn South Africa Merweville Lainsburg Dist. 26 197 1 1953-01 SAMC Zinn South Africa Dikbome Merweville Koup 26 197 1 [408,1100,490,513] 1949-01 SAMC Zinn & Hesse South Africa -33.25 Oukloof Beaufort West 1206 22.1 26 197 1 [144,749,514,537] 1907-02-25 ZSMC Brauns South Africa -33.283333 Willowmore 1205 23.483334 26 197 1 1907-02-05 1907-03-01 1907-02-05 AMGS Brauns South Africa Willowmore 26 197 1 1907-02-25 1920-12-10 1907-02-25 Brauns South Africa Willowmore 26 197 1 1907-02-05 1920-12-01 1907-02-05 NMNH Brauns South Africa Willowmore 26 197 1 [369,821,588,608] 1908-01-20 BMNH Brauns South Africa Willowmore 26 197 1 1915-12-25 MRAC Brauns South Africa Willowmore 26 197 1 [322,779,612,632] 1917-12-15 SAMC Brauns South Africa Willowmore 26 197 1 1949-01 SAMC Zinn & Hesse South Africa -33.333332 Rooinek Lainsburg Dist. 1205 20.916666 26 197 1 [623,1067,636,656] 1952-10 SAMC Mus. Expd. South Africa Rooinek Pass 26 197 1 1987-11-26 1987-12-05 1987-11-26 AMGS Gess South Africa -33.12833 Tierberg Res. Stat. Prince Albert Dist. 20 22.273333 26 197 1 1919-03-11 NMNH De Hoek Uitenhage & Munro South Africa -33.75 1203 25.4 26 197 1