Gonioscelis longulus Ricardo, 1925

Londt, Jason G. H., 2004, A review of the afrotropical genus Gonioscelis Schiner, 1866 (Diptera: Asilidae), with descriptions of new species, African Invertebrates 45, pp. 21-124 : 60-62

Gonioscelis longulus Ricardo, 1925

Figs 3 , 12 , 74–76 , 148

Gonioscelis longulus Ricardo, 1925: 270–271 ; Hull 1962: 131–132 (Fig. 1561 foreleg); Oldroyd 1974: 41

( Fig. 31 foreleg).

Gonioscelis denticulatus Hull, 1967: 243–244 ( Fig. 1 . ơ gen.) syn. n.

Redescription: Based chiefly on syntype ^ ( BMNH) .

Head: Antenna missing (condition in other specimens – mostly dark red-brown to black, setae dark red-brown). Facial swelling moderately pronounced, with dorsal region well-developed and terminating rather abruptly a short distance from antennal sockets, mystax uniform yellow, a group of moderately developed setae between antennal sockets and gibbosity ( Fig. 3 ). Frons and vertex gold pruinose. Ocellar tubercle thinly gold pruinose to apruinose with dark red-brown oc. Occiput silver-gold pruinose except for 2 apruinose areas behind ocellarium, setae pale yellow-white. Proboscis and palpus dark red-brown, yellow setose.

Thorax: Blackish, gold pruinose. Postpronotal lobes (and adjacent parts of mesonotum) brown-orange, clearly contrasting with mesonotum, with 2–3 short yellow setae. Mesonotal setae pale yellow: ac not evident; approx. 10 pairs dc, clearly extending anterior of transverse suture; 3 npl; 3 sa; 3–4 pa. Scutellum dark red-brown to black, with 6 pale yellow mrg sct. Wing length 10.6 mm, membrane mostly yellow (darker yellow-brown posteriorly). Legs mostly orange except for brown-red area associated with femoral spur. Prothoracic coxa dark red-brown, silver-gold pruinose, yellow-white setose; femoral spur ( Fig. 12 ) sharply pointed (angle approx. 25°).

Abdomen: Tergites mostly dark red-brown, T4–5 with increasing amounts of orange dorsally, T6–7 entirely orange, mostly thinly gold pruinose, setae yellow, short except for some long ones on T1–2. Sternites similar to tergites, S2–5 apruinose medially, S6– 7 entirely apruinose, setae yellow, short.

Terminalia ( Figs 74–76 ): Long ep (lobes projecting beyond level attained by proctiger), lobes tapering slightly distally and exhibiting an undulating ventral margin in lateral view, tips equipped with long, strong, macrosetae; gcx with three distal projections and a few fine setae; hyp, in ventral view, longer than broad, somewhat constricted at midlength and distally bilobed, each lobe equipped with short, strong macrosetae.

Variation: A fairly uniform species showing little individual variation or sexual dimorphism.

Type material: LESOTHO: 1ơ holotype ( denticulatus not seen), ‘ Qachas Nek [30°07'S 28°42'E], 20 mi. north of Matatiele, 7.3.1951, loc. No. 213 (Brinck and Rudebeck)’ (as cited by Hull, 1967). SOUTH AFRICA: 1ơ syntype ( longulus seen), ‘M’fongosi [28°42'S 30°48'E] / Zulu L. [Zululand] / W E Jones’ ~ ‘April / 1916’, ‘ Gonioscelis longulus / Type n sp. ơ / Ricardo’, ‘Holo- / type.’, ‘SAM-DIP A008245’ (SAMC). 2^ [1 now without abdomen] syntypes ( longulus seen), same data but ‘Mch. 1917’ and labelled paratypes (SAMC); 1^ syntype ( longulus seen), same data (BMNH).

Type locality: South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal, M’fongosi. Other material: LESOTHO: 1ơ, ‘Peka [28°51'S 28°12'E] / Basutoland / 12-iii-1948 / C. Jacot- / Guillarmod’ (NMNH); 1^, ‘Peka / Basutoland / 12-iii-1948, C. Jacot- / Guillarmod’ (AMGS); 1^, ‘Hensley’s Dam, Leribe [28°53'S 28°03'E] / Basutoland / 29.ii.1948 / C. Jacot- / Guillarmod’ (NMNH); 6ơ 5^, ‘Mamathes [29°08'S 27°51'E] / Basutoland / 14.iii.1948 / C. Jacot / Guillarmod’ (NMNH); 1^, ‘Mamathes / Basutoland / 4.iv.1948 / C. Jacot / Guillarmod’ (NMNH); 6ơ 6^, ‘Mamathes [29°08'S 27°51'E] / Basutoland / 3-iii-1951 / C. Jacot / Guillarmod’ (AMGS); 1ơ, ‘Mamathes / Basutoland / 12-iii-1950 / C. Jacot / Guillarmod’ (AMGS); 1ơ, ‘Mamathes / Basutoland / 7-iv- 1950 / C. Jacot / Guillarmod’, ‘with prey’ [ Coleoptera : Chrysomelidae ] (AMGS); 2^, ‘Mamathes / Basutoland / 13-iii-1949 / C. Jacot / Guillarmod’, ‘with prey’ [ Hymenoptera : Formicidae , alate 2] (AMGS); 3^, ‘Mamathes / Basutoland / 21-iii-1948 / C. Jacot / Guillarmod’, ‘with prey’ [ Hymenoptera : Formicidae , alate 2; Tenthredinidae 1] (AMGS); 1^, ‘Mamathes / Basutoland / 29-iii-1948 / C. Jacot / Guillarmod’, ‘with prey’ [ Hymenoptera : Formicidae , alate] (AMGS). SOUTH AFRICA: 1ơ 1?, ‘Zoutpansberg / Louis Trichardt [23°03'S 29°54'E] / Tvl.’ ~ ‘ 4500ft / RF Lawrence / Feb. 1928 ’ (SAMC); 1ơ 2^, ‘On small rock / after rains 15.4.79 / midday; Tongwane [Stream 24°13'S 29°54'E]’; 1ơ, ‘Sth Africa: Transvaal / Bourkes Potholes. 60k N / Grasskop. SE2430DB / Date: 14.iv.1985 J+B Londt’; 1ơ 3^, ‘Sth Africa: Transvaal / 10km E of Barberton / on Saddleback Pass / 7.iv.1985 SE2531CC / J. Londt Rocky slope’; 1^, ‘South Africa: Natal / nr Itala Game Reserve / ca. 27°32'S 31°19'E / Acacia grassveld Dry / hillside/ stream edge / JGH Londt 21.iv.1988 ’; 1^, ‘South Africa OFS / Entembeni Mission / 28°10'S 25°40'E / Coll: P. E. Reavell / Date: 30.iii.1991 / Grassveld’; 2ơ 1^, ‘S Africa O.F.S. #6/ 36km E Bultfontein / 28 23'S 26 29'E 1350m / date: 11.iii.1991 / Whittington & Londt / nr. Vet River Branch’; 4ơ 6^, ‘South Africa O.F.S. / 10km E of Paul Roux / 2828Ac 16.iii.1982 / J. Londt & L. Schoeman / Scrub on rocky hill’; 1^, ‘South Africa O.F.S. / Golden Gate Nat. Park / 2828DA 27-8.iii.1982 / J. Londt & L. Schoeman / Valley nr. Stream.’; 2ơ 2^, ‘S Africa: Natal #12 / Royal Natal Nat. Park / 28°41'S 28°57'E 1440m / Date: 02-04.iv.1993 / Coll: J. G. H. Londt / Mahai Camp/grassland’; 2ơ 3^, ‘South Africa: Natal / Cathedral Peak area / 2829Cc 7-12 April 1982 / JGH Londt ex Malaise’; 2ơ 2^, ‘South Africa: Natal / Cathedral Peak area / Forest Reserve 1900m / 2829Cc 4-11.iv.1977 / JGH Londt’; 1ơ, ‘Cathedral Peak / Forestry Reserve / Natal Drakensberg / March 1959 / B.R. & P. Stuckenberg’, ‘Little Berg summits / Themeda grassland / 5500-6000 ft’ [listed by Oldroyd (1974)]; 1ơ, ‘on Protea caffra leaf / Tarn Hill. 1725m / Cathedral Peak area, Natal Drakensberg / Natal South Africa / Pajor, Istvan (30/03/1989)’; 1ơ, ‘S Africa: KZ-Natal #13 / Isandlwana / 28°12'S 30°40'E 1500m / Date: 8.iv.1996 / Coll: P.E. Reavell / Highveld grass’; 1ơ, ‘South Africa / KwaZulu-Natal / Qudeni Forest Reserve / 28°39'49"S / 30°47'58"E / 11/4/2001 ’, ‘A. Armstrong & P. Ngwenya / NCS Record ID: 162187 / Grassland / Summit’, ‘ Gonioscelis longulus / Ricardo 1925 ’; 1^ 2ơ, ‘M’fongosi [28°42'S 30°48'E] / Zululand’ ~ ‘WE Jones / Mar Apr. 1935 ’ (SAMC); 2ơ 1?, same data as ơ longulus syntype (SAMC); 1ơ, ‘M’fongosi / Zululand / WE Jones’ ~ ‘Mch. 1917’ (SAMC); 1ơ, ‘M’fongosi / ZuluL / WE Jones’ ~ ‘May / 1917’ (SAMC); 1ơ 1^, M’fongosi / Zululand’ ~ ‘WE Jones / April-May 1934’ (SAMC); 1ơ 1^, ‘South Africa: Natal / Die Kop 1131m ca. 11km / NE of Kranskop / 28°54'57"S: 30°57'12"E / Grass & Forest Margin / Londt Whittington & / Chinn 17.iv.1990 ’; 1^, ‘South Africa: Natal / Die Kop Dist. 500m ca / 9km NE Kranskop / 28°55'51"S: 30°56'51"E / Grass & Forest Margin / Londt Whittington & / Chinn 17.iv.1990 ’; 1ơ, ‘Natal / Estcourt [29°00'S 29°53'E]’ ~ ‘E. Haviland / 1894’, ‘ G. mantis Lw / det. Engel’, ‘ Gonioscelis / mantis Loew ơ’ (ZSMC); 1^, ‘ RSA: KZ-Natal #16 / Injasuti Nature Res. / 29°12'S 29°22'E 1800m / Date: 27.iii.1994 / Coll: J.G.H. Londt’; 1ơ 1^, ‘R.S.A.: KZ-Natal #10 / Loteni Nature Reserve / 29°27'S 29°32'E 1560m / Date: 21.ii.1996 / Coll: J. & A. Londt / Emadundwini Trail’; 7ơ 11^, ‘South Africa: Natal / Loteni Nature Res. / 2929BC J. & B. Londt / 28.iii. – 2.iv.1986 / Campsite/ Grassveld’; 1ơ, ‘Sth Africa: KZ-Natal / Cobham Forest Reserve / 29°41'50''S: 29°24'44''E / 1530m 24.ii.2000 / JGH Londt Grassland’; 2^, ‘South Africa: Natal / Krantzkop The Kop / 2930BB 8.iv.1986 / J. Londt Grassveld & / forest margins’; 1^, ‘South Africa: Natal / Cumberland farm / 29°30'56"S: 30°30'55"E / Coll: S. A. Chinn / Date: 13.iii.1990 ’; 1^, ‘S Africa: E. Cape #2 / 37 km NE of Maclear / 30°53'S 28°11'E 1670m / Date: 3.ii.1992 Natal / Museum Expedition / Grassland and stream’; 1ơ 1^, S Africa: Natal Prov / Ixopo Dist. [30°09'S 30°05'E] 6km SE / Highflats nr. Waterfall / 4.v.1991, N.Evenhuis, / R. Miller Collectors’; 1ơ, ‘Highflats [30°16'S 30°12'E] / Natal / 24.3.27 / L. Bevis’ (ID G. bevisi sp. n. by Bromley 1945 – unpublished) (NMNH).

Notes: As Ricardo (1925) designated more than one type, all her specimens must be considered syntypes. There is no need for the designation of a lectotype. She listed only four specimens, so others in SAMC listed above are excluded from the syntype series. Although I have not seen the unique denticulatus holotype, Hull (1967) provides a good general description and illustration of the male terminalia that confirm the species to be the same as Ricardo’s longulus .

Distribution, phenology and biology (Tables 1–2, Fig. 148 ): Found in the eastern Grassland areas of South Africa including the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, Drakensberg Mountains of Lesotho, KwaZulu-Natal and Free State and adjacent areas, as well as the highlands of Mpumalanga. Recorded between February and May (late summer). There are three Natal Museum prey records as follows: 3^ (Loteni Nature Reserve 2; 35 km E Bultfontein 1) – Coleoptera ( Melyridae 1), Hemiptera ( Alydidae 1), Hymenoptera (Formcidae 1). In addition, four prey records from Lesotho (AMGS) are included in the list of specimens provided above.

Similar species:A member of the large and widely distributed group of species possessing a poorly defined facial gibbosity. A quite distinctive species, occurring entirely within southern Africa, longulus is keyed as a member of a group of species having an elongate hypandrium and occuring mainly north of southern Africa. A similarity to genitalis is mentioned under that species. An apparent association with the higher altitude areas of the southern African Drakensberg/Maloti mountain range suggests that it could be related to other species in high-altitude afromontane situations further north (e. g. macquartii , pruinosus and possibly submaculatus ).

Figures

Figs 2–5. Gonioscelis species, head, showing development of facial gibbosity and mystax. 2. G. submaculatus Speiser, 1910 (Valley of Lower Shire), poorly defined gibbosity, and mystax extending fairly strongly to antennal sockets. 3. G. longulus Ricardo, 1925 (Paul Roux), moderate gibbosity, and mystax extending moderately to antennal sockets. 4. G. lacertosus Engel, 1925 (Hantamsberg Summit), moderate gibbosity, and small weak setae between gibbosity and antennal sockets. 5. G. punctipennis Engel, 1925 (Garies), well-developed gibbosity, and complete lack of setae between gibbosity and antennal sockets.

Figs 10–17. Gonioscelis species, left prothoracic femur, showing variation in spur development and method of measuring spur angle (16–17). 10. G. melas sp. n. (25 km N Kamieskroon). 11. G. chloris sp.n. (4 km SW Clanwilliam). 12. G. longulus Ricardo, 1925 (Paul Roux). 13. G. cuthbertsoni sp. n 7 km SE Angwa Bridge). 14. G. macquartii Jaennicke, 1867 (Nguruma). 15. G. nigripennis Ricardo, 1925 (Erikson’s Drift). 16. G. xanthochaites sp. n. (Aus). 17. G. hadrocantha sp. n. (Roçadas). Scale lines = 1 mm.

Figs 64–76. Gonioscelis male genitalia. 64–66. G. kedros sp. n. (holotype). 64. Lateral. 65. Dorsal. 66. Ventral. 67–73. G. lacertosus Engel, 1925. 67–69. (Elandsberg). 67. Lateral. 68. Dorsal. 69. Ventral. 70–73. Hypandrial variation. 70. Willowmore. 71. Hantamsberg. 72. Sutherland. 73. Kirkwood. 74–76.G. longulus Ricardo, 1925 (M’fongosi). 74. Lateral. 75. Dorsal. 76.Ventral. Scale lines = 1 mm.

Figs 148–149. Distribution of Gonioscelis species found only in southernAfrica. 148. closed circle = genitalis, open circle = longulus, closed square = maculiventris, open square = phacopterus. 149. closed circle = lacertosus, open circle = nigripennis, closed square = ramphis, open square = truncatus.

Figs 30–41. Gonioscelis male genitalia. 30–32. G. chloris sp. n. (Clanwilliam paratype). 30. Lateral. 31. Dorsal. 32. Ventral. 33–35. G. congoensis Oldroyd, 1970 (holotype). 33. Lateral. 34. Dorsal. 35. Ventral. 36–38. G. cuthbertsoni sp. n. (Angwa Bridge paratype). 36. Lateral. 37. Dorsal. 38. Ventral. 39–41. G. engeli sp. n. (holotype). 39. Lateral. 40. Dorsal. 41. Ventral. Scale lines = 1 mm.

Fig. 1. Gonioscelis ventralis Schiner, 1867. General habitus.