Aneomochtherus sinensis ( Ricardo, 1919 )

Young, Charles L., 2006, Robber flies of South Korea — II. South Korean species of the Subfamily Asilinae Latreille, 1802 (Diptera, Asilidae), Zootaxa 1132, pp. 1-30 : 4

Aneomochtherus sinensis ( Ricardo, 1919)

( Figs 1 , 13 , 26, 27 & 58 )

Heligmoneura sinensis Ricardo, 1919 Ricardo (1919: 75) . Orophotus sinensis: Hull 1962: 593 .

Neomochtherus sinensis: Tsacas, 1968: 301 .

= Neomochtherus agers: Esipenko 1974: 159 .

Small to medium sized pale yellow flies, 16 to 19mm. Entirely yellow, including legs. Distinct yellow tergite lateral marginal bristles. Low (ventral) facial gibbosity not strongly produced. Male aedeagus truncated and shortened ( Figs. 26, 27 ). Male epandrial lobes bulbous and bright orange ( Fig. 1 ). Gonostylus slender and flared at apex ( Fig. 13 ). Segments 8 and 9 of ovipositor compressed, segment 9 short, and cercus free ( Fig. 58 ).

Head: Mystax sparse with long gold hair; face bright gold tomentose. Antennae yellow; style black. Thorax: Dark brown paramedian stripes. Chaetotaxy with a weak row of postpronotal hair; 2 to 3 posthumeral; 2 notopleural; 2 supraalar; 2 postalar; 2–3 strong dorsocentral bristles.. Scutellum gold tomentose with sparse erect yellow hair, and 2 marginal bristles. Pleurae gold tomentose. Legs: Yellow and black setose. Fore femur with a fringe of long yellow hair. Wings: Tinged brown at apices. Abdomen: Yellow tomentose with yellow and black hair. Distinct yellow lateral marginal bristles on tergites 1–6; black patches of medial hair, becoming wider on distal tergites. Sternites 3–5 with two or more marginal lateral bristles. Large, bulbous epandrial lobe bright orange; apex with distinct dorsal and ventral bifurcate processes projecting medially ( Fig. 1 ). Sternite 8 and hypandrium reduced. Aedeagus stout and truncated with stylate, trifid apex ( Figs. 26, 27 ).

South Korean distribution. Ch ǒ llabuk­Do Province. Kunsan. Wolmyong Park. 35°57’93”N, 126°41’78”E. Sŏnyudo Is. Okto­Myon. 35°49’18”N, 126°24’47”E. Ch’ungch’ongnam­Do Province. Chungnam. Kŭmsan. Yangsan­Myon (no coordinates available). Kang­won­Do Province. Chunchon. Nam­Myon. Hudong­Li. 37°44’31”N, 128°35’41”E.

Material examined. 2 Ψ: 16/VIII/1999, Chŏllabuk­Do Province, Kunsan, Wolm­yong Park; 1ɗ: same data except 8/IX/2004; 2ɗ, 1Ψ: 1/VIII/2003, Chŏllabuk­Do Province, Sŏnyudo Is., Okto­Myon; 1ɗ, 1Ψ: 3/VII/1996, P. Tripotin coll., Ch’ungch’ongnam Do Province, Chungnam Kŭmsan, Yangsan­Myon; 4ɗ, 2Ψ: 6–31/VII/2003, P. Tripotin coll., Kang won Do Province, Chunchon, Nam­Myon, Hudong­Li; 1ɗ: same data except 17/ VIII/2003, Malaise trap.

Field notes. Aneomochtherus sinensis forages from tall grasses within pine shrub forest clearings at low elevations. The asilid shares sympatric and allopatric habitats with E. brevistylus , Machimus aurulentus and Machimus cf. pastshenkoae.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 12. Male external genitalia, lateral views. 1. Aneomochtherus sinensis. 2. Asilella londti. 3. Astochia virgatipes. 4. Eutolmus brevistylus. 5. Machimus aurulentus. 6. Machimus cf. pastshenkoae 7. Mercuriana ussuriensis. 8. Neoitamus angusticornis. 9. Neoitamus castaneipennis. 10. Neoitamus cothurnatus univittatus. 11. Neoitamus zouhari. 12. Philonicus albiceps. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURES 13 – 25. Male gonopods, lateral views. 13. Aneomochtherus sinensis. 14. Asilella londti. 15. Astochia virgatipes. 16. Eutolmus brevistylus. 17. Eutolmus koreanus. 18. Machimus aurulentus. 19. Machimus cf. pastshenkoae. 20. Mercuriana ussuriensis. 21. Neoitamus angusticornis. 22. Neoitamus castaneipennis. 23. Neoitamus cothurnatus univittatus. 24. Neoitamus zouhari. 25. Philonicus albiceps. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURES 26 – 48. Male aedeagi, lateral and dorsal views. 26 – 27. Aneomochtherus sinensis lateral & apex. 28 – 29. Asilella londti lateral & apex. 30 – 31. Astochia virgatipes lateral & apex. 32 – 33. Eutolmus brevistylus lateral & apex. 34 – 35. Machimus aurulentus lateral & apex. 36 – 37. Machimus cf. pastshenkoae lateral & apex. 38 – 39. Mercuriana ussuriensis lateral & apex. 40 – 41. Neoitamus angusticornis lateral & dorsal. 42 – 43. Neoitamus castaneipennis lateral & dorsal. 44. Neoitamus cothurnatus univittatus lateral. 45 – 46. Neoitamus zouhari lateral & dorsal. 47 – 48. Philonicus albiceps lateral & apex.

FIGURES 58 – 66. Female external genitalia, lateral views. 58. Aneomochtherus sinensis. 59. Asilella londti. 60. Astochia virgatipes. 61. Eutolmus brevistylus. 62. Machimus aurulentus. 63. Machimus cf. pastshenkoae. 64. Mercuriana ussuriensis. 65. Neoitamus angusticornis. 66. Philonicus albiceps.