taxonID	type	description	language	source
4C692B3788905624B15A8695C12D9B7F.taxon	description	Figs 3 A, 5, 11 A	en	Blee, Tayler, Cabrero, Allan, Dikow, Torsten (2025): Namib Desert Asiloidea (Diptera) 1. A review of the assassin-fly genus Acnephalomyia Londt, 2010 (Asilidae) with the description of a new species. African Invertebrates 66 (2): 251-271, DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.66.153047
4C692B3788905624B15A8695C12D9B7F.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. The species is distinguished from congeners by the yellowish to light brown setose scutum, the entirely asetose katepisternum, the presence of dorso-ventrally flattened setae on legs and abdomen, the absence of macrosetae on the postpronotal lobe and the presence of strong, short, yellowish marginal macrosetae on the abdominal tergites.	en	Blee, Tayler, Cabrero, Allan, Dikow, Torsten (2025): Namib Desert Asiloidea (Diptera) 1. A review of the assassin-fly genus Acnephalomyia Londt, 2010 (Asilidae) with the description of a new species. African Invertebrates 66 (2): 251-271, DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.66.153047
4C692B3788905624B15A8695C12D9B7F.taxon	distribution	Distribution, biodiversity hotspots, endemism, seasonal imago flight activity and biology. A widespread and commonly collected species occurring primarily in western and southern South Africa (see Londt (2010): fig. 65). Within the southern Namib Desert, only known from five collecting events in the southernmost part in the transition zone to the Succulent Karoo (Table 2, Fig. 11 A). The species is known to occur in the Cape Floristic Region, Succulent Karoo and Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany biodiversity hotspots (see Londt (2010): fig. 65), but also occurs outside of these hotspots. Notably, the specimens collected around Lüderitz in the south-western region of the southern Namib Desert (Fig. 11 A) occur within the boundaries of the Succulent Karoo biodiversity hotspot. The species is not endemic to a particular environment or country. Adult flies are active in spring (August – September) in the southern Namib Desert (Table 3). Londt (2010) lists the following prey records, none of which originates from specimens in the southern Namib Desert for the species: Coleoptera, Buprestidae, Coccinellidae, Dermestidae, Melyridae, Scarabaeidae; Diptera, Muscidae; Hemiptera, Lygaeidae, Pentatomidae; Isoptera, Hodotermitidae; Orthoptera, Tridactylidae.	en	Blee, Tayler, Cabrero, Allan, Dikow, Torsten (2025): Namib Desert Asiloidea (Diptera) 1. A review of the assassin-fly genus Acnephalomyia Londt, 2010 (Asilidae) with the description of a new species. African Invertebrates 66 (2): 251-271, DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.66.153047
9A766C3AA1D05D9E857D4A55F81A1E4B.taxon	description	Figs 3 B – D, 6, 11 B	en	Blee, Tayler, Cabrero, Allan, Dikow, Torsten (2025): Namib Desert Asiloidea (Diptera) 1. A review of the assassin-fly genus Acnephalomyia Londt, 2010 (Asilidae) with the description of a new species. African Invertebrates 66 (2): 251-271, DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.66.153047
9A766C3AA1D05D9E857D4A55F81A1E4B.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. The species is distinguished from congeners by the overall white setation (especially males, females with some yellowish setae on thorax), the presence of white setation on the postero-dorsal katepisternum, the presence of macrosetae on the postpronotal lobe, the entirely hyaline wings and the restricted distribution in the Namib Sand Sea of the Namib Desert.	en	Blee, Tayler, Cabrero, Allan, Dikow, Torsten (2025): Namib Desert Asiloidea (Diptera) 1. A review of the assassin-fly genus Acnephalomyia Londt, 2010 (Asilidae) with the description of a new species. African Invertebrates 66 (2): 251-271, DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.66.153047
9A766C3AA1D05D9E857D4A55F81A1E4B.taxon	distribution	Distribution, biodiversity hotspots, endemism, seasonal imago flight activity and biology. Known from eight localities, several of them near each other, associated with sand dunes in the northern part of the southern Namib Desert, with one locality in the central-western area (Fig. 11 B). A somewhat rarely collected species known from 25 specimens of which the majority was collected since 2017 (Table 2). The species is not known to occur in any currently recognised biodiversity hotspot, but is endemic to the Namib Desert and likely the Namib Sand Sea in particular. Adult flies are active in spring (August to October) (Table 3). Nothing is known of the biology.	en	Blee, Tayler, Cabrero, Allan, Dikow, Torsten (2025): Namib Desert Asiloidea (Diptera) 1. A review of the assassin-fly genus Acnephalomyia Londt, 2010 (Asilidae) with the description of a new species. African Invertebrates 66 (2): 251-271, DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.66.153047
5A855715DED45502BB4DF5802F578513.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. The genus can be delineated by the greatly reduced, but still discernible pulvilli, the presence of an empodium, open cells r 1, r 5 and m 3, vein C terminating at point where CuA + CuP reach wing margin, the abdomen (somewhat to obviously) dorso-ventrally flattened with female and male terminalia retracted and not easily visible, females with acanthophorite spines and a humpbacked appearance of the majority of species.	en	Blee, Tayler, Cabrero, Allan, Dikow, Torsten (2025): Namib Desert Asiloidea (Diptera) 1. A review of the assassin-fly genus Acnephalomyia Londt, 2010 (Asilidae) with the description of a new species. African Invertebrates 66 (2): 251-271, DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.66.153047
5A855715DED45502BB4DF5802F578513.taxon	distribution	Distribution, biodiversity hotspots, endemism, seasonal imago flight activity and biology. Known from the western parts of southern Africa in Namibia and South Africa (see Londt (2010): fig. 64). A relatively commonly observed and collected genus with 27 observations at iNaturalist (Table 2). Species of Acnephalomyia are known to occur in the Cape Floristic Region, Succulent Karoo and Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany biodiversity hotspots (see Londt (2010): fig. 64), but also occur outside of these hotspots. The genus is not endemic to a particular hotspot, environment or country. Adult flies are active from winter (July) to summer (February) (see Londt (2010), Table 3). Very little is known of the biology. Prey records cited by Londt (2010) include Coleoptera, Diptera, Heteroptera, Isoptera and Orthoptera. Within the southern Namib Desert, species of Acnephalomyia are somewhat rarely collected from either the northern or southern parts (Figs 2 B, 11). Four species are known to occur in the southern Namib Desert, of which two are endemic. Adult flies are active in late winter (August) and throughout spring (September – October) with one record in November (Table 3).	en	Blee, Tayler, Cabrero, Allan, Dikow, Torsten (2025): Namib Desert Asiloidea (Diptera) 1. A review of the assassin-fly genus Acnephalomyia Londt, 2010 (Asilidae) with the description of a new species. African Invertebrates 66 (2): 251-271, DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.66.153047
B906D667A5085E709F26220BBA1BEF71.taxon	description	Figs 7, 8, 11 A	en	Blee, Tayler, Cabrero, Allan, Dikow, Torsten (2025): Namib Desert Asiloidea (Diptera) 1. A review of the assassin-fly genus Acnephalomyia Londt, 2010 (Asilidae) with the description of a new species. African Invertebrates 66 (2): 251-271, DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.66.153047
B906D667A5085E709F26220BBA1BEF71.taxon	description	Description. Head: wider than high, black; vertex slightly depressed (less than 60 ° angle on median margin of compound eye); facial swelling indistinct, but extending over entire face, whitish-silver pubescent; mystax yellowish-white macrosetose ventrally and para-medially, long white setose laterally (no setae medially), extending over lower ¾ of face, long, reaching beyond tip of proboscis; ommatidia of different size, at least some median ommatidia distinctly larger; postgena posterior margin simple, smooth; frons (at level of antennal insertion) more or less parallel-sided, whitish-silver pubescent, laterally asetose; ocellar tubercle apubescent, white setose; vertex apubescent, predominantly asetose, yellowish-white macrosetose at base of ocellar tubercle; median occipital sclerite (m ocp scl) asetose; postocular (pocl) setae straight, yellowish macrosetae; occiput lightly grey pubescent, predominantly asetose, ventrally long white setose; compound eye posterior margin (in lateral view) straight or slightly curved throughout. Proboscis and maxillary palpus: proboscis straight, black; postmentum plate-like, straight, median groove only in distal part, white setose ventrally; prementum circular, with dorso-median flange, asetose; labella reduced, fused to prementum entirely, occupying from 1 / 3 to 1 / 2 length of proboscis, apically rounded, yellowish setose; maxillary palpus dark brown, one-segmented, long white setose distally, cylindrical; stipites fused entirely medially, apubescent, long white setose, laterally with 2 white macrosetae. Antenna: dark brown, lightly grey pubescent; scape dark brown, apubescent, approximately as long as pedicel, 3 yellowish macrosetae ventrally, long, reaching at least centre of postpedicel; pedicel dark brown, lightly grey pubescent, long yellowish macrosetose ventrally, shorter white setose dorsally; postpedicel cylindrical (same diameter throughout), 1.5 x as long as scape and pedicel combined, brown to dark brown, lightly grey pubescent, asetose; stylus comprised of 2 elements, element 1 dark brown, element 2 dark brown, stylus 0.3 x as long as postpedicel, asetose; apical seta-like sensory element situated apically in cavity on stylus, hyaline. Thorax: black, bluish metallic; prosternum grey pubescent, separated from pro-episternum, square to rectangular in shape (straight dorsally); pro-episternum grey pubescent, long white setose; cervical sclerite long yellowish-white setose; antepronotum grey pubescent, short yellowish setose and long yellowish macrosetose; postpronotum predominantly apubescent, grey pubescent anteriorly and laterally, short yellowish-white setose, long yellowish-white macrosetose laterally; postpronotal lobe grey pubescent, short white setose, 1 – 3 long yellowish-white macrosetae; pleuron predominantly apubescent, greyish-silver pubescent anteriorly and dorsally; pro-epimeron grey pubescent, long white setose anteriorly; anepisternum grey pubescent anteriorly and dorsally, apubescent otherwise, short white setose dorsally, single long yellow macroseta postero-medially, supero-posteriorly asetose; anterior basalare asetose, posterior basalare asetose; anepimeron antero-dorsally grey pubescent, asetose; katepisternum apubescent, asetose; katepimeron apubescent, asetose; katatergite yellowish-grey pubescent, long yellowish macrosetose; meron + metanepisternum predominantly apubescent, yellowish-grey pubescent posteriorly, asetose; metakatepisternum grey pubescent, asetose; metepimeron yellowish-grey pubescent, apubescent ventrally, asetose; anatergite white pubescent, asetose; scutum whitish-grey pubescent, apubescent stripes paramedially (not reaching scutellum), apubescent areas pre- and postsuturally laterally, scutum setation: sparsely white setose only in pubescent areas, setae with small sockets, 2 yellowish npl setae, 2 – 3 yellowish spa setae, 1 yellow pal setae, dc setae long white pre- and postsuturally, macrosetae absent, acr setae few long white presuturally, median posterior scutum (between dc setae) sparse long white setose, setae directed posteriorly; scutellum apubescent, ds sctl setae absent, ap sctl setae present, 7 – 8 long yellow macrosetae; postmetacoxal area entirely membranous. Leg: black, apubescent, all setae circular in cross section; pro coxa black, greyish-silver pubescent, white setose and yellowish macrosetose; pro trochanter black, apubescent, white setose; pro femur black, short brown setose, longer white setose ventrally, 1 yellowish macroseta postero-distally; pro tibia black, short white setose, yellowish macrosetose: 4 in 1 antero-dorsal row, 3 in 1 dorsal row, 5 in 1 posterior row, 3 in 1 postero-ventral row, distal tip with 3 – 4 long yellowish and 2 long brown macrosetae; mes coxa black, greyish-silver pubescent, yellowish macrosetose; mes trochanter dark brown, apubescent, short white setose; mes femur black, short brown setose, longer white setose ventrally, yellowish macrosetose: 1 antero-distally, 1 dorso-distally, 1 postero-distally; mes tibia black, short white setose, yellowish macrosetose: 4 in 1 anterior row, 4 in 1 dorsal row, 4 in 1 antero-ventral row, 3 in 1 postero-ventral row, distal tip with 2 long yellowish and 4 long brown macrosetae; met coxa black, grey pubescent, white setose, 1 long yellowish macroseta laterally, anteriorly without any protuberance; met trochanter black, apubescent, white setose, 1 yellowish macroseta, cylindrical, medially without any protuberance; met femur black, short white setose, longer yellowish setose ventrally, yellowish macrosetose: 3 – 4 in 1 anterior row, 2 dorso-distally; met tibia black, straight, short white setose, yellowish macrosetose: 3 in 1 anterior row, 4 in 1 antero-ventral row, 4 in 1 dorsal row, distal tip with 5 long dark brown and 1 long yellowish macrosetae; proximal pro and mes tarsomere as long as following 2 tarsomeres combined, proximal met tarsomere longer than 2 following tarsomeres combined, proximal met tarsomere as wide as following tarsomeres; pro tarsomeres 1 – 5 short brown setose, tarsomeres 1 – 4 long dark-brown macrosetose laterally and dorso-laterally; mes tarsomeres 1 – 5 short brown setose, tarsomeres 1 – 4 long dark-brown macrosetose laterally and dorso-laterally; met tarsomeres 1 – 5 short brown setose, tarsomeres 1 – 4 long dark-brown macrosetose laterally and dorso-laterally; pulvilli small, 1 / 3 length of claw; claw fairly straight throughout, pointed; empodium setiform, approximately 1 / 2 length of claw. Wing: 3.8 – 4.2 mm, hyaline, without microtrichia; C terminating at CuA and CuP, anterior wing margin in males straight; R 2 + 3 distally relatively straight, r 1 open; R 4 terminating anterior to wing apex, relatively straight, stump vein (R 3) absent; r 4 open, R 4 and R 5 diverging from each other; R 5 terminating posterior to wing apex; r 5 open; M 1 terminating posterior to wing apex; cell d closed by base of M 2 and m – m, M 2 and m – m not aligned, r – m situated in distal half; m 3 open; cu a closed at C (non-petiolate); alula well-developed; microtrichia on posterior wing margin arranged in a single plane. Abdomen: shape compressed, T 2 – 3 distinctly transversely rectangular (length to width ratio> 1: 3), dark brown to black (bluish metallic touch), tergites smooth, setae with small sockets only; T 1 sparsely short white setose medially, laterally long yellowish setose, 4 – 5 long yellow macrosetae postero-laterally, apubescent, entirely sclerotised medially, dorsal surface smooth, without protuberances; T 2 – 8 entirely sclerotised, black to dark brown (bluish metallic touch), segments laterally and posteriorly narrowly brown, apubescent, sparsely short white setose, longer white setose antero-laterally on T 2, marginal macrosetae absent on T 2 – 7, medial macrosetae absent on T 2 – 7; S 1 – 8 black to dark brown, lightly grey pubescent anteriorly, sparsely short white setose. Female (Fig. 8 B – D): T 7 and S 7 without modifications, ovipositor comprised of 8 th and following segments, T 6 – 8 apubescent, setation directed dorsally; postero-paramedian T 8 pores absent; T 8 with internal rectangular apodeme (entirely fused to T) anteriorly, S 8 plate-like, slightly emarginate medio-distally; T 9 and T 10 partly fused, T 10 divided into 2 heavily sclerotised acanthophorite plates, with 5 dark brown acanthophorite spines per plate; cerci simple and flat, long yellowish setose; 3 spermathecae, all equally large, reaching posterior end of segment 6; common spermathecal duct short, not extending beyond tip of genital fork (S 9, furca), individual spermathecal ducts short; ejection apparatus not observable; spermathecal reservoirs formed by more or less expanded ducts, weakly sclerotised; genital fork (S 9, furca) formed by single, inverted V-shaped sclerite, median sclerite (at posterior tip) absent, anterior apodeme absent. Male (Fig. 8 A): T 1 – T 8 entire, S 1 – S 2 reduced, S 3 – S 7 entire, S 8 reduced or lost; hypopygium dark brown, not rotated, directed posteriorly; epandrium divided medially into 2 halves, joined proximally; hypandrium well-developed, triangular, posterior margin with long postero-median projection, distinctly separated from epandrium by gonocoxite, not fused to gonocoxite; gonocoxite entirely free from epandrium; gonostylus present, positioned distally on gonocoxite; subepandrial sclerite asetose, ventrally smooth (without protuberances), laterally straight (without protuberances), distal margin simple, straight margin; cerci fused medially; phallus long, tip at tip of gonocoxite and gonostyli, 1 phallic prong, tip pointed, without any protuberance.	en	Blee, Tayler, Cabrero, Allan, Dikow, Torsten (2025): Namib Desert Asiloidea (Diptera) 1. A review of the assassin-fly genus Acnephalomyia Londt, 2010 (Asilidae) with the description of a new species. African Invertebrates 66 (2): 251-271, DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.66.153047
B906D667A5085E709F26220BBA1BEF71.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. The species is distinguished from congeners by the predominantly apubescent thorax and abdomen, the metallic bluish-black cuticle, the absence of dorso-ventrally flattened setae on legs and abdomen, the small size (wing length 3.8 – 4.2 mm) and the restricted distribution on the gravel plains of the Namib Desert. From Acnephalomyia iota in particular, it is distinguished by the few, thin setae on pubescent stripes on the scutum (A. iota entire scutum covered with short setae) and the absence of stump vein R 3 at base of R 4 (A. iota with short stump vein).	en	Blee, Tayler, Cabrero, Allan, Dikow, Torsten (2025): Namib Desert Asiloidea (Diptera) 1. A review of the assassin-fly genus Acnephalomyia Londt, 2010 (Asilidae) with the description of a new species. African Invertebrates 66 (2): 251-271, DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.66.153047
B906D667A5085E709F26220BBA1BEF71.taxon	etymology	Etymology. Latin metallicus = metallic, indicum = indigo. The specific epithet, treated as feminine, refers to the metallic blue colour of this species.	en	Blee, Tayler, Cabrero, Allan, Dikow, Torsten (2025): Namib Desert Asiloidea (Diptera) 1. A review of the assassin-fly genus Acnephalomyia Londt, 2010 (Asilidae) with the description of a new species. African Invertebrates 66 (2): 251-271, DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.66.153047
B906D667A5085E709F26220BBA1BEF71.taxon	distribution	Distribution, biodiversity hotspots, endemism, seasonal imago flight activity and biology. Known only from three localities on or near the Namib Desert gravel plains in the northern parts of the southern Namib Desert (Fig. 11 A). A rarely collected species known only from eight specimens from three collecting events (Table 2). The species is not known to occur in any currently recognised biodiversity hotspot, but is endemic to the Namib Desert and likely the gravel plains in particular. Adult flies are active in spring (September and October) (Table 3). Nothing is known of the biology.	en	Blee, Tayler, Cabrero, Allan, Dikow, Torsten (2025): Namib Desert Asiloidea (Diptera) 1. A review of the assassin-fly genus Acnephalomyia Londt, 2010 (Asilidae) with the description of a new species. African Invertebrates 66 (2): 251-271, DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.66.153047
5D10F5EC01195439BFF07665B2A78CFD.taxon	description	Figs 9, 10, 11 B	en	Blee, Tayler, Cabrero, Allan, Dikow, Torsten (2025): Namib Desert Asiloidea (Diptera) 1. A review of the assassin-fly genus Acnephalomyia Londt, 2010 (Asilidae) with the description of a new species. African Invertebrates 66 (2): 251-271, DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.66.153047
5D10F5EC01195439BFF07665B2A78CFD.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. The species is distinguished from congeners by the yellowish to light brown setose scutum, the postero-dorsally white setose katepisternum, the presence of dorso-ventrally flattened setae on legs and abdomen, the strong, light brown macrosetae on the postpronotal lobe and the presence of strong, short, yellowish marginal macrosetae on the abdominal tergites.	en	Blee, Tayler, Cabrero, Allan, Dikow, Torsten (2025): Namib Desert Asiloidea (Diptera) 1. A review of the assassin-fly genus Acnephalomyia Londt, 2010 (Asilidae) with the description of a new species. African Invertebrates 66 (2): 251-271, DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.66.153047
5D10F5EC01195439BFF07665B2A78CFD.taxon	distribution	Distribution, biodiversity hotspots, endemism, seasonal imago flight activity and biology. A widespread but less commonly collected species occurring from Swakopmund in Namibia in the north to southern South Africa (see Londt (2010): fig. 67) with the majority of records from southern Namibia (Karas Region) and north-western South Africa (Northern Cape Province). A rarely collected species in the southern Namib Desert known only from two specimens from two collecting events (Table 2). The species is known to occur in the Cape Floristic Region and Succulent Karoo biodiversity hotspots (see Londt (2010): fig. 67), but also occurs outside of these hotspots. The species is not endemic to a particular environment or country. Adult flies are active in spring (August) in the southern Namib Desert (Table 3). Nothing is known of the biology.	en	Blee, Tayler, Cabrero, Allan, Dikow, Torsten (2025): Namib Desert Asiloidea (Diptera) 1. A review of the assassin-fly genus Acnephalomyia Londt, 2010 (Asilidae) with the description of a new species. African Invertebrates 66 (2): 251-271, DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.66.153047
