taxonID	type	description	language	source
4ED3121787E45B1D9E0CB2DCEAFB305A.taxon	description	Figs 1, 3 D, 4 D, 5 D, 6 D, 8 A, B	en	Theron, Genevieve L., Ellis, Allan G., Midgley, John M. (2025): A revision of a spring-active clade of Prosoeca Schiner, 1867 (Diptera, Nemestrinidae), keystone pollinators from the Greater Cape Floristic Region in South Africa, with descriptions of three new species. ZooKeys 1257: 249-284, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1257.155954
4ED3121787E45B1D9E0CB2DCEAFB305A.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Relatively small species (length 11 – 12 mm) with a conspicuous grey border on the thorax and scutellum, abdomen black with posterior grey fascia interrupted by brown medial vitta, femora generally darker than tibiae and tarsi, proboscis length 0.8 ± 0.02 × the length of the body (range of un-extended proboscis length 8 – 10 mm), and wings with smoky brown infuscation on the anterior margin. Prosoeca aquilo sp. nov. can be distinguished from all others in the clade by the combination of its small size, the wings with smoky brown infuscation anteriorly and a paler posterior region and slight but distinct flexure on the anterior of the wing in males (Fig. 5). Prosoeca aquilo sp. nov. differs from P. parva sp. nov. by having distinct infuscation on the anterior of the wing while P. parva sp. nov. has very little infuscation and wings are almost entirely hyaline (Fig. 5 D, F). Prosoeca ora sp. nov. has an abdominal pattern closely resembling that of P. aquilo sp. nov.; however, P. aquilo sp. nov. has grey pruinescence restricted to the posterior border of the tergites, not encircling the brown medial vitta, while P. ora sp. nov. has more extensive grey pruinescence medially (Fig. 3 D, E). Furthermore, the dense black pile laterally on the frons separates P. aquilo sp. nov. from P. ora sp. nov., which usually has white pile on these areas (Fig. 6 D, E). Prosoeca aquilo sp. nov. differs most notably from P. marinusi, P. peringueyi, and P. torquata by having a small body size and a proboscis shorter than the length of its body.	en	Theron, Genevieve L., Ellis, Allan G., Midgley, John M. (2025): A revision of a spring-active clade of Prosoeca Schiner, 1867 (Diptera, Nemestrinidae), keystone pollinators from the Greater Cape Floristic Region in South Africa, with descriptions of three new species. ZooKeys 1257: 249-284, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1257.155954
4ED3121787E45B1D9E0CB2DCEAFB305A.taxon	description	Description. Male. Body length: mean 11.6 mm; range 11 – 12 mm (n = 4). Intertegular width: mean 4.4 mm; range 4 – 5 mm (n = 4). Proboscis length: mean 9 mm; range 8 – 10 mm (n = 4). Wing length: mean 13.2 mm; range 12 – 14 mm (n = 4). Head. (Figs 4 D, 6 D) Ground colour generally grey to black. Ocellar tubercle somewhat bulbous and developed, just evident above upper eye margin in profile, with dense silvery pruinescence; width between eyes at the anterior ocellus 3 – 3.5 × the length of the anterior ocellus; anterior ocellus separated from posterior ocelli by shallow transverse groove; pile generally long, black. Frons trapezoid; width anterior to ocellar tubercle 0.6 × the width above antennal insertions; slightly to moderately swollen between antennal insertions and anterior ocellus; swelling recedes strongly towards eye margin; pruinescence relatively dense, silver to brown; pile generally pale with black pile dorsolaterally, dense along lateral margins towards antennal insertions, but sparse medially. Antenna with scape 1 – 1.3 × length of pedicel; first flagellomere subequal to the length of scape + pedicel; style longer than scape + pedicel + flagellomere 1; ground colour dark brown to black, style darker than remainder of antenna; scape, pedicel and flagellomere 1 with irregular silver to brown pruinescence; pedicel with mostly elongate pile, black pile, flagellomere 1 with short black pile basally on the dorsal side. Facial area bulbous in profile, with horizontal groove present; with silver to brown pruinescence, evenly distributed across face; pile mostly white (sometimes with black pile interspersed), elongate, sparse, similar to that of frons. Gena with pile a mixture of black and white to pale yellow, elongate, and dense, forming the beard. Proboscis 0.7 – 0.9 × the length of the body, dorsal and ventral side black. Palpus with first segment significantly longer than that of second segment, second segment much narrower than first segment; colour generally dark brown to black; pile long on both segments. Thorax (Fig. 3 D). Scutum dark grey to black; pruinescence mostly brown, with pale grey to silvery pruinescence complete along the lateral sides of the scutum, joining on scutellum; median and paired sublateral vittae absent; pile mostly black (sometimes with a few golden pile interspersed), sparse, shorter than the pile on the posterior of the scutellum; postalar callus with black pile dorsally, ventral side with a tuft of golden pile. Scutellum anterior margin covered by brown pruinescence; posterior margin with a dark, black border; pile on disc of scutellum black, relatively long, of similar density to that on the scutum; pile along posterior margin elongate, a mixture of black and pale, white or yellow, same density as on disc of scutellum; with some pale yellow to golden pile laterally. Pleuron mostly blackish; with silver pruinescence, sparser than on scutum; pile generally a mixture of black and white to yellow, relatively long, of intermediate density; most dense and elongate in two tufts, ventral and anterior to the base of the wing and between postalar callus and posterior spiracle; tuft of pile anterior to wing base directed posteriorly, mostly white to golden with some black pile; tuft of pile on katatergite directed posteriorly, black and golden; katepimeron with pile absent. Legs. Coxae dark brown to black; with pile mostly off-white to golden, elongate, dense. Trochanters mostly blackish, with some yellow-brown colouring; pile short, very sparse. Femora yellow-brown (sometimes very dark to black), with dark marking on dorsal side of the distal end present; pile mostly black, mixed long and short, dense, but with elongate pile dorsally on proximal 1 / 3 to 1 / 2; ventral pile typically longer, sparse; hind femur with short pile more evenly distributed than on fore and mid femora. Tibiae yellow-brown to dark brown; with dense, short, dark pile and sparse, elongate pile (short pile may appear more golden on hind tibia), most dense on hind tibia. Tarsi red-brown to dark brown, hind tarsi tend to be darker. Wings (Fig. 5 D). Shape relatively slender; broadest distal to termination of M 4 on posterior margin; alula broad; costal margin with slight but distinct anterior curved flexure; Sc termination on C aligned with termination of M 4 on posterior margin of wing; R 1 termination closer to R 2 + 3 than to Sc; termination of Sc and R 1 well separated; short appendix just beyond fork on R 4 + 5 always absent; cross vein between M 1 and M 2 absent; cross vein just beyond fork between R 4 and R 2 + 3 absent; R 1 slightly curved upward; R 4 deep bowing upward; R 5 deeply bowing upward; M 1 and M 2 slightly curved upward; cell cua open at margin; CuA and CuP well separated. Dark marking on R 1 positioned just basal to humeral cross vein; membrane with smoky brown infuscation; infuscated on anterior 1 / 2 – 1 / 3 of wing; posterior region of wing somewhat paler but never hyaline; isolated darker patches distinct in pale region; the distinction between brown infuscation and pale brown membrane clearly delineated. Tuft of pile on base of wing white. Haltere with pale brown to yellow stalk; bulb dark brown. Abdomen (Fig. 3 D). Colour of abdomen generally black; T 2 with posterior margin stout and relatively broad; abdomen tapering abruptly after T 3. Tergites with silvery pruinescence; membrane between T 1 and T 2 with silvery to brown pruinescence; medial brown pruinescent vitta distinct, extending from the posterior margin of T 1 to terminalia, usually not covering the full length of each tergite; grey pruinescence surrounding brown medial vitta, on T 2 – T 5; posterior margin of T 2 – T 4 with contrasting pruinescent border. Pile on tergites mostly black, both long and short, of intermediate density; along anterior margins of T 2 white to pale yellow (with some dark pile medially), elongate, of intermediate density; posterolateral pile on T 2 – T 4 black, elongate, dense; T 5 with pile along lateral margins more evenly distributed than that of T 2 – T 4. Sternites typically paler than tergites; grey to black; pruinescence silvery, dense. Sternites with pile mostly white, mostly long, sparse; pile on S 4 – S 5 black; pile on membrane adjacent to lateral margins of S 2 – S 4 typically with profuse, decumbent, elongate, white pile. Genitalia (Fig. 8 A, B). Hypandrium triangular in shape; broad, tapering gradually towards the apex; laterally convex; 1.7 × longer than basal width; with apex projecting only slightly past the top of the gonocoxites. Hypandrium vestiture long, sparse, on the apical 2 / 3. Gonocoxite apical 1 / 2 not parallel sided; gonocoxites widest in apical 1 / 3, narrowing apically; rounded apically. Gonocoxite vestiture on the lateral 2 / 3, of apical 2 / 3, long, laterally projecting. Gonostylus with parallel sides; and narrow apical region. Phallus near parallel sided; narrowing apically. Female. Unknown	en	Theron, Genevieve L., Ellis, Allan G., Midgley, John M. (2025): A revision of a spring-active clade of Prosoeca Schiner, 1867 (Diptera, Nemestrinidae), keystone pollinators from the Greater Cape Floristic Region in South Africa, with descriptions of three new species. ZooKeys 1257: 249-284, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1257.155954
4ED3121787E45B1D9E0CB2DCEAFB305A.taxon	distribution	Geographical distribution. Only known from a single locality in the Kamiesberg mountains near Leliefontein in the Northern Cape of South Africa (Fig. 1).	en	Theron, Genevieve L., Ellis, Allan G., Midgley, John M. (2025): A revision of a spring-active clade of Prosoeca Schiner, 1867 (Diptera, Nemestrinidae), keystone pollinators from the Greater Cape Floristic Region in South Africa, with descriptions of three new species. ZooKeys 1257: 249-284, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1257.155954
4ED3121787E45B1D9E0CB2DCEAFB305A.taxon	etymology	Etymology. From the Latin aquilo = Roman god of the north winds; referring to its current known northerly distribution in the Kamiesberg. To be treated as a noun in apposition.	en	Theron, Genevieve L., Ellis, Allan G., Midgley, John M. (2025): A revision of a spring-active clade of Prosoeca Schiner, 1867 (Diptera, Nemestrinidae), keystone pollinators from the Greater Cape Floristic Region in South Africa, with descriptions of three new species. ZooKeys 1257: 249-284, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1257.155954
10246222AE725551832D9E14D669CBB9.taxon	description	Figs 1, 2 A, 3 B, 4 B, 5 B, 6 B, 7 C, D	en	Theron, Genevieve L., Ellis, Allan G., Midgley, John M. (2025): A revision of a spring-active clade of Prosoeca Schiner, 1867 (Diptera, Nemestrinidae), keystone pollinators from the Greater Cape Floristic Region in South Africa, with descriptions of three new species. ZooKeys 1257: 249-284, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1257.155954
10246222AE725551832D9E14D669CBB9.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Large-sized (length 14 – 22 mm), grey body with paler medial and paired sub-lateral vittae on the thorax and darker medial vitta present on the abdomen, scutellum with black posterior border, legs dark brown, proboscis length 2.19 ± 0.05 × the length of the body (range of un-extended proboscis length 31 – 46 mm), wings with smoky brown infuscation on the anterior 2 / 3 with no hyaline section of the wing. Prosoeca marinusi, P. torquata, and P. peringueyi can be distinguished from all other species in the clade by their proboscis which is longer than the length of their bodies, in contrast to P. ora sp. nov., P. aquilo sp. nov., and P. parva sp. nov. that have a proboscis shorter than the length of their body. Prosoeca marinusi has a distinctly darker posterior section of the wing that is never hyaline, compared to all other species in the clade (Fig. 5 B). Prosoeca marinusi differs from P. peringueyi and P. torquata, the other long-proboscid species in the clade, by having only a medial vitta on the abdomen (Fig. 3 B), with the sublateral patterning present in P. peringueyi (Fig. 3 C) and absent in P. torquata (Fig. 3 A). The hypandrium of P. marinusi is substantially broader basally than that of P. peringueyi or P. torquata. Prosoeca marinusi is a narrow endemic occurring in the Nieuwoudtville and Calvinia areas. Some individuals may appear very dark, particularly on the abdomen, while others have a more subtle grey colouration. This dark colouration can largely be attributed to an abundance of dark pile that is less profuse and mixed with pale pile in paler individuals.	en	Theron, Genevieve L., Ellis, Allan G., Midgley, John M. (2025): A revision of a spring-active clade of Prosoeca Schiner, 1867 (Diptera, Nemestrinidae), keystone pollinators from the Greater Cape Floristic Region in South Africa, with descriptions of three new species. ZooKeys 1257: 249-284, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1257.155954
10246222AE725551832D9E14D669CBB9.taxon	distribution	Geographical distribution. Prosoeca marinusi occurs in a limited area around Nieuwoudtville and towards the Hantamsberg near Calvinia in the Northern Cape Province (Fig. 1).	en	Theron, Genevieve L., Ellis, Allan G., Midgley, John M. (2025): A revision of a spring-active clade of Prosoeca Schiner, 1867 (Diptera, Nemestrinidae), keystone pollinators from the Greater Cape Floristic Region in South Africa, with descriptions of three new species. ZooKeys 1257: 249-284, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1257.155954
38EAD2FB03B05E858C87D9CED1CE7E39.taxon	description	Figs 1, 2 B, 2 C, 3 E, 4 E, 5 E, 6 E, 8 C, D	en	Theron, Genevieve L., Ellis, Allan G., Midgley, John M. (2025): A revision of a spring-active clade of Prosoeca Schiner, 1867 (Diptera, Nemestrinidae), keystone pollinators from the Greater Cape Floristic Region in South Africa, with descriptions of three new species. ZooKeys 1257: 249-284, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1257.155954
38EAD2FB03B05E858C87D9CED1CE7E39.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Medium-sized (length 10 – 17 mm), thorax dark, scutellum and thorax with conspicuous grey border, abdomen black but tergites interrupted medially by a pale grey band, often flaring out posteriorly, and a dark brown median vitta, femora dorsally darker than tibia and tarsi, proboscis length 0.7 ± 0.02 × the length of the body (range of un-extended proboscis length 6 – 11 mm). Prosoeca ora sp. nov. can be distinguished from all other species in the clade by the distinct grey, brown and black patterning on the abdomen (Figs 2 B, C, 3 E). Unlike P. parva sp. nov. which has hyaline wings, the wings of P. ora sp. nov. are infuscated on the anterior ¼ with a relatively straight costal margin in both sexes, whereas P. aquilo sp. nov. has a slight flexure in the costal margin of males (Fig. 5 D – F). Prosoeca ora sp. nov. has a proboscis that is shorter than the length of its own body, unlike P. marinusi, P. torquata, and P. peringueyi.	en	Theron, Genevieve L., Ellis, Allan G., Midgley, John M. (2025): A revision of a spring-active clade of Prosoeca Schiner, 1867 (Diptera, Nemestrinidae), keystone pollinators from the Greater Cape Floristic Region in South Africa, with descriptions of three new species. ZooKeys 1257: 249-284, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1257.155954
38EAD2FB03B05E858C87D9CED1CE7E39.taxon	description	Description. Male. Body length: mean 13.8 mm; range 10 – 17 mm (n = 19). Intertegular width: mean 6.5 mm; range 4 – 8 mm (n = 9). Proboscis length: 9.7 mm; range 6 – 11 mm (n = 18). Wing length: mean 15.4 mm; range 11 – 18 mm (n = 19). Head. (Figs 4 E, 6 E) Ground colour generally grey to black. Ocellar tubercle somewhat bulbous and developed, just evident above upper eye margin in profile, with dense silvery pruinescence; width between eyes at the anterior ocellus 2.5 – 3.5 × the length of the anterior ocellus; anterior ocellus separated from posterior ocelli by shallow transverse groove; pile generally long, black. Frons trapezoid; width anterior to ocellar tubercle 0.5 – 0.6 × the width above antennal insertions; slightly to moderately swollen between antennal insertions and anterior ocellus; swelling recedes strongly towards eye margin; pruinescence relatively dense, silver to brown; pile mostly white (sometimes with black pile dorsally), usually dense on entire frons (sometimes sparse). Antenna with scape 1 – 1.5 × length of pedicel; first flagellomere shorter than the length of scape + pedicel; style shorter than scape + pedicel + flagellomere 1; ground colour dark brown to black, style darker than remainder of antenna; scape, pedicel and flagellomere 1 with irregular silver to brown pruinescence; pedicel with mostly elongate pile, black pile, flagellomere 1 with short black pile basally on the dorsal side. Facial area bulbous in profile, with horizontal groove present; with silver to brown pruinescence, evenly distributed across face; pile mostly white, elongate, usually dense (sometimes sparse), similar to that of frons. Gena with pile mostly off-white to golden (sometimes with some black pile), elongate and dense, forming the beard. Proboscis 0.6 – 0.8 × the length of the body, dorsal and ventral side black. Palpus with first segment significantly longer than that of second segment, second segment much narrower than first segment; colour generally dark brown to black; pile long on both segments. Thorax (Fig. 3 E). Scutum dark grey to black; pruinescence mostly brown, with pale grey to silvery pruinescence complete along the lateral sides of the scutum, joining on scutellum; median and paired sublateral vittae absent; pile mixture of black and pale to golden, sparse, shorter than the pile on the posterior of the scutellum; postalar callus with black pile dorsally, ventral side with a tuft of golden pile. Scutellum anterior margin covered by brown pruinescence; posterior margin with a dark, black border; pile on disc of scutellum golden or black, relatively long, sparse compared to scutum; pile along posterior margin elongate, a mixture of black and pale, white or yellow, same density as on disc of scutellum; with some pale yellow to golden pile laterally. Pleuron mostly blackish; with silver pruinescence, sparser than on scutum; pile generally a mixture of black and white to yellow, relatively long, of intermediate density; most dense and elongate in two tufts, ventral and anterior to the base of the wing and between postalar callus and posterior spiracle; tuft of pile anterior to wing base directed posteriorly, mostly white to golden with some black pile; tuft of pile on katatergite directed posteriorly, black and golden (sometimes mostly pale yellow to golden); katepimeron with sparse elongate white pile. Legs. Coxae dark brown to black; with pile mostly off-white to golden, elongate, dense. Trochanters mostly blackish, with some yellow-brown colouring; pile short, very sparse. Femora red-brown to dark brown (sometimes more yellow-brown), with dark marking on dorsal side of the distal end present; pile short golden with long black and white interspersed, mostly short, dense, but with elongate pile dorsally on proximal 1 / 3 – 1 / 2; ventral pile typically longer, sparse; hind femur with short pile more evenly distributed than on fore and mid femora. Tibiae red-brown to black (sometimes closer to yellow-brown); with dense, short, pale pile and sparse, darker, elongate pile, most dense on hind tibia. Tarsi red-brown to dark brown, hind tarsi tend to be darker. Wings (Fig. 5 E). Shape relatively slender; broadest just basal to termination of CuP on posterior margin; alula broad; costal margin close to straight, without distinct anteriorly curved flexure; Sc termination on C aligned with termination of M 4 on posterior margin of wing; R 1 terminated closer to R 2 + 3 than to Sc; termination of Sc and R 1 well separated; short appendix just beyond fork on R 4 + 5 always absent; cross vein between M 1 and M 2 absent; cross vein just beyond fork between R 4 and R 2 + 3 absent; R 1 relatively straight; R 4 deep bowing upward; R 5 deeply bowing upward; M 1 and M 2 gently bowing upward; cell cua open at margin; CuA and CuP well separated. Dark marking on R 1 positioned just basal to humeral cross vein; membrane with smoky brown infuscation; appearing darker on anterior 1 / 2 – 1 / 3 of wing; posterior region of wing somewhat paler but never hyaline; isolated darker patches distinct in pale region; the distinction between brown infuscation and pale membrane gradual, never striking. Tuft of pile on base of wing white. Haltere with pale brown to yellow stalk; bulb dark brown. Abdomen (Fig. 3 E). Colour of abdomen generally black; T 2 with posterior margin stout and relatively broad; abdomen tapering abruptly after T 3. Tergites with silvery pruinescence; membrane between T 1 and T 2 with silvery to brown pruinescence; medial brown pruinescent vitta distinct, extending from the posterior margin of T 1 to terminalia, usually not covering the full length of each tergite; grey pruinescence surrounding medial vitta, on T 2 – T 5; posterior margin of T 2 – T 4 with contrasting pruinescent border. Pile on tergites mostly black, both long and short, of intermediate density; along anterior margins of T 2 white to pale yellow (sometimes more golden), elongate, dense; posterolateral pile on T 2 – T 4 black and white, elongate, dense; T 5 with pile along lateral margins more evenly distributed than that of T 2 – T 4. Sternites typically paler than tergites; grey to black; pruinescence silvery, relatively sparse (sometimes with relatively dense golden pruinescence). Sternites with pile off-white to golden, mostly long, dense; pile on membrane adjacent to lateral margins of S 2 – S 4 typically with profuse, decumbent, elongate, pale yellow to golden. Genitalia (Fig. 8 C, D). Hypandrium triangular in shape; broad, tapering gradually towards the apex; laterally convex; 1.9 × longer than basal width; with apical 1 / 3 projecting past the top of the gonocoxites. Hypandrium vestiture short, sparse, on the apical 1 / 2. Gonocoxite apical 1 / 2 not parallel sided; gonocoxites widest in apical 1 / 3, narrowing apically; rounded apically. Gonocoxite vestiture on the lateral 1 / 2, of apical 2 / 3, long, laterally projecting. Gonostylus with parallel sides and globular apical section. Phallus near parallel sided; narrowing apically. Female. Same as male, except for genitalia dimorphism and the following characters: Head. Ocellar tubercle width between eyes at the anterior ocellus 3.4 – 4.5 × the length of the anterior ocellus. Frons width anterior to ocellar tubercle 0.6 – 0.7 × the width above antennal insertions. Facial area with horizontal groove present (less pronounced than in males). Legs. Femora dark brown to black (sometimes closer to red-brown).	en	Theron, Genevieve L., Ellis, Allan G., Midgley, John M. (2025): A revision of a spring-active clade of Prosoeca Schiner, 1867 (Diptera, Nemestrinidae), keystone pollinators from the Greater Cape Floristic Region in South Africa, with descriptions of three new species. ZooKeys 1257: 249-284, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1257.155954
38EAD2FB03B05E858C87D9CED1CE7E39.taxon	distribution	Geographical distribution. Prosoeca ora sp. nov. has been recorded from Nieuwoudtville in the Northern Cape to Matjiesfontein and Touws River in the Western Cape (Fig. 1).	en	Theron, Genevieve L., Ellis, Allan G., Midgley, John M. (2025): A revision of a spring-active clade of Prosoeca Schiner, 1867 (Diptera, Nemestrinidae), keystone pollinators from the Greater Cape Floristic Region in South Africa, with descriptions of three new species. ZooKeys 1257: 249-284, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1257.155954
38EAD2FB03B05E858C87D9CED1CE7E39.taxon	etymology	Etymology. From the Latin ora = edge or rim; referring to the characteristic grey pruinescence on the dark thorax forming a distinct border. To be treated as a noun in apposition.	en	Theron, Genevieve L., Ellis, Allan G., Midgley, John M. (2025): A revision of a spring-active clade of Prosoeca Schiner, 1867 (Diptera, Nemestrinidae), keystone pollinators from the Greater Cape Floristic Region in South Africa, with descriptions of three new species. ZooKeys 1257: 249-284, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1257.155954
D1A60800C15D5E3DA4707CAC3442E8E8.taxon	description	Figs 1, 3 F, 4 F, 5 F, 6 F, 8 E, F	en	Theron, Genevieve L., Ellis, Allan G., Midgley, John M. (2025): A revision of a spring-active clade of Prosoeca Schiner, 1867 (Diptera, Nemestrinidae), keystone pollinators from the Greater Cape Floristic Region in South Africa, with descriptions of three new species. ZooKeys 1257: 249-284, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1257.155954
D1A60800C15D5E3DA4707CAC3442E8E8.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Relatively small species (length 8 – 11 mm), thorax dark without distinct central markings, thorax and scutellum with a conspicuous grey border, abdomen uniformly black, proboscis length 0.57 ± 0.04 × the length of the body (range of un-extended proboscis length 4 mm – 6 mm), femora very dark with pale red-brown tibia and tarsi and conspicuously short antennal style. Prosoeca parva sp. nov. can be distinguished from all other species in the clade by the apparent lack of patterning on the abdomen (Fig. 3 F), largely hyaline wings (Fig. 5 F) and the dark femora which contrast the paler tibia and tarsi. Prosoeca parva sp. nov. is notably smaller than P. marinusi, P. peringueyi, and P. torquata with a proboscis shorter than the length of its body, usually not reaching past the hind legs when folded beneath body.	en	Theron, Genevieve L., Ellis, Allan G., Midgley, John M. (2025): A revision of a spring-active clade of Prosoeca Schiner, 1867 (Diptera, Nemestrinidae), keystone pollinators from the Greater Cape Floristic Region in South Africa, with descriptions of three new species. ZooKeys 1257: 249-284, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1257.155954
D1A60800C15D5E3DA4707CAC3442E8E8.taxon	description	Description. Male. Body length: mean 9.8 mm; range 8 – 11 mm (n = 4). Intertegular width: mean 3.8 mm; range 3 – 4 mm (n = 4). Proboscis length: mean 5.6 mm; range 4 – 6 mm (n = 4). Wing length: mean 11.2 mm; range 11 – 12 mm (n = 4). Head. (Figs 4 F, 6 F) Ground colour generally grey to black. Ocellar tubercle somewhat bulbous and developed, just evident above upper eye margin in profile, with dense silvery pruinescence; width between eyes at the anterior ocellus 3.8 × the length of the anterior ocellus; anterior ocellus separated from posterior ocelli by shallow transverse groove; pile generally long, black. Frons trapezoid; width anterior to ocellar tubercle 0.7 × the width above antennal insertions; slightly to moderately swollen between antennal insertions and anterior ocellus; swelling recedes strongly towards eye margin; pruinescence relatively dense, silver to brown; pile black and white, dense on entire frons. Antenna with scape 1.5 – 2 × the length of pedicel; first flagellomere shorter than the length of scape + pedicel; style shorter than scape + pedicel + flagellomere 1; ground colour dark brown to black, style darker than remainder of antenna; scape, pedicel and flagellomere 1 with irregular silver to brown pruinescence; pedicel with mostly elongate pile, black pile, flagellomere 1 with short black pile basally on the dorsal side. Facial area bulbous in profile, with horizontal groove present; with silver to brown pruinescence, evenly distributed across face; pile mostly white, elongate, dense, similar to that of frons. Gena with pile a mixture of black and white to pale yellow, elongate, and dense, forming the beard. Proboscis 0.5 – 0.7 × the length of the body, dorsal and ventral side black. Palpus with first segment significantly longer than that of second segment, second segment much narrower than first segment; colour generally dark brown to black; pile long on both segments. Thorax (Fig. 3 F). Scutum dark grey to black; pruinescence mostly brown, with pale grey to silvery pruinescence complete along the lateral sides of the scutum, joining on scutellum; median and paired sublateral vittae absent; pile mixture of black and pale to golden, sparse, shorter than the pile on the posterior of the scutellum; postalar callus with black pile dorsally, ventral side with a tuft of golden pile. Scutellum anterior margin covered by brown pruinescence; posterior margin with a dark, black border; pile on disc of scutellum golden or black, relatively long, of similar density to that on the scutum; pile along posterior margin elongate, a mixture of black and pale, white or yellow, same density as on disc of scutellum; with some pale yellow to golden pile laterally. Pleuron mostly blackish; with silver pruinescence, sparser than on scutum; pile generally a mixture of black and white to yellow, relatively long, of intermediate density; most dense and elongate in two tufts, ventral and anterior to the base of the wing and between postalar callus and posterior spiracle; tuft of pile anterior to wing base directed posteriorly, mostly white to golden with some black pile; tuft of pile on katatergite directed posteriorly, black and golden; katepimeron with pile absent. Legs. Coxae dark brown to black; with pile mostly off-white to golden, elongate, dense. Trochanters mostly blackish, with some yellow-brown colouring; pile short, very sparse. Femora dark brown to black, with dark marking on dorsal side of the distal end present; pile mostly black, mostly short, dense; ventral pile typically longer, sparse; hind femur with short pile (may have very sparse elongate pile on hind femur) more evenly distributed than on fore and mid femora. Tibiae yellow-brown to dark brown; with mostly short pile, most dense on hind tibia. Tarsi red-brown to dark brown, hind tarsi tend to be darker. Wings (Fig. 5 F). Shape relatively slender; broadest just basal to termination of CuP on posterior margin; alula broad; costal margin close to straight, without distinct anteriorly curved flexure; Sc termination on C aligned with termination of M 4 on posterior margin of wing; R 1 terminated closer to R 2 + 3 than to Sc; termination of Sc and R 1 well separated; short appendix just beyond fork on R 4 + 5 always absent; cross vein between M 1 and M 2 absent; cross vein just beyond fork between R 4 and R 2 + 3 absent; R 1 relatively straight; R 4 deep bowing upward; R 5 shallow bowing upward; M 1 and M 2 slightly curved upward; cell cua open at margin; CuA and CuP well separated. Dark marking on R 1 positioned just basal to humeral cross vein; membrane without smoky brown infuscation; appearing almost entirely hyaline; isolated darker patches absent. Tuft of pile on base of wing white. Haltere with pale brown to yellow stalk; bulb dark brown. Abdomen (Fig. 3 F). Colour of abdomen generally black; T 2 with posterior margin stout and relatively broad; abdomen tapering abruptly after T 3. Tergites with pruinescence largely absent; membrane between T 1 and T 2 dark brown to black; medial brown pruinescent vitta indistinct, extending from the posterior margin of T 1 to terminalia. Pile on tergites mostly black, both long and short, of intermediate density; along anterior margins of T 2 white to pale yellow, elongate, sparse; posterolateral pile on T 2 – T 4 black, elongate, dense; T 5 with pile along lateral margins more evenly distributed than that of T 2 – T 4. Sternites typically paler than tergites; grey to black; pruinescence silvery, relatively sparse. Sternites with pile mostly black, mostly long, sparse; pile on S 1 and S 2 noticeably longer, white; pile on membrane adjacent to lateral margins of S 2 – S 4 typically with profuse, decumbent, elongate, pale yellow to golden. Genitalia (Fig. 8 E, F). Hypandrium triangular in shape; broad, tapering gradually towards the apex; laterally convex; 2.1 × longer than basal width; with apical 1 / 5 projecting past the top of the gonocoxites. Pile on apical 1 / 3 of the hypandrium. Gonocoxite apical 1 / 2 not parallel sided; gonocoxites widest in apical 1 / 3, narrowing apically; rounded apically. Gonocoxite vestiture on the lateral 1 / 2, of apical 1 / 3. Gonostylus narrowed medially; and globular apical section. Phallus near parallel sided; narrowing apically. Female. Same as male, except for genitalia dimorphism and the following characters: Head. Ocellar tubercle width between eyes at the anterior ocellus 3.8 – 4.5 × the length of the anterior ocellus. Frons width anterior to ocellar tubercle 0.8 × the width above antennal insertions. Wings. Sharp short appendix just beyond fork on R 4 sometimes present.	en	Theron, Genevieve L., Ellis, Allan G., Midgley, John M. (2025): A revision of a spring-active clade of Prosoeca Schiner, 1867 (Diptera, Nemestrinidae), keystone pollinators from the Greater Cape Floristic Region in South Africa, with descriptions of three new species. ZooKeys 1257: 249-284, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1257.155954
D1A60800C15D5E3DA4707CAC3442E8E8.taxon	distribution	Geographical distribution. Known from only a single locality on the Hantamsberg near Calvinia (Fig. 1)	en	Theron, Genevieve L., Ellis, Allan G., Midgley, John M. (2025): A revision of a spring-active clade of Prosoeca Schiner, 1867 (Diptera, Nemestrinidae), keystone pollinators from the Greater Cape Floristic Region in South Africa, with descriptions of three new species. ZooKeys 1257: 249-284, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1257.155954
D1A60800C15D5E3DA4707CAC3442E8E8.taxon	etymology	Etymology. From the Latin parva = little; referring to the small size of this species compared to all other species in this clade. To be treated as a noun in apposition.	en	Theron, Genevieve L., Ellis, Allan G., Midgley, John M. (2025): A revision of a spring-active clade of Prosoeca Schiner, 1867 (Diptera, Nemestrinidae), keystone pollinators from the Greater Cape Floristic Region in South Africa, with descriptions of three new species. ZooKeys 1257: 249-284, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1257.155954
71AC49E3AC9E5ECC8FB39F6EB01F0FFB.taxon	description	Figs 1, 2 D, 3 C, 4 C, 5 C, 6 C, 7 E, F	en	Theron, Genevieve L., Ellis, Allan G., Midgley, John M. (2025): A revision of a spring-active clade of Prosoeca Schiner, 1867 (Diptera, Nemestrinidae), keystone pollinators from the Greater Cape Floristic Region in South Africa, with descriptions of three new species. ZooKeys 1257: 249-284, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1257.155954
71AC49E3AC9E5ECC8FB39F6EB01F0FFB.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Large-sized (length 13 – 21 mm), grey body with intricate patterning on the thorax and the abdomen, thorax with two dark black sub-lateral vittae extending to the transverse suture, legs dark brown, proboscis length 1.55 ± 0.02 × the length of the body (range of un-extended proboscis length 23 – 35 mm), wings with smoky brown patterned infuscation on the anterior 1 / 2 of the wing and cross-vein between R 4 & R 2 + 3 complete in specimens from the northern part of the range (north of Calvinia). Prosoeca peringueyi, P. marinusi, and P. torquata can be distinguished from all other species in the clade by their proboscis which is longer than the length of their bodies, in contrast to P. ora sp. nov., P. aquilo sp. nov., and P. parva sp. nov. that have a proboscis shorter than the length of their body. Prosoeca peringueyi and P. torquata have a dark smoky brown wing patterning that is strikingly distinct from the almost hyaline posterior wing membrane, while P. marinusi has a paler brown wing patterning that is never strikingly distinct from the lightly infuscated posterior wing membrane (Fig. 5 A – C). Prosoeca peringueyi differs most noticeably from P. torquata and P. marinusi, by the presence of two dark black sublateral vittae on the anterior of the thorax. Additionally, P. peringueyi has a generally paler thorax than P. torquata or P. marinusi.	en	Theron, Genevieve L., Ellis, Allan G., Midgley, John M. (2025): A revision of a spring-active clade of Prosoeca Schiner, 1867 (Diptera, Nemestrinidae), keystone pollinators from the Greater Cape Floristic Region in South Africa, with descriptions of three new species. ZooKeys 1257: 249-284, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1257.155954
71AC49E3AC9E5ECC8FB39F6EB01F0FFB.taxon	distribution	Geographical distribution. Prosoeca peringueyi is the most widespread species in this clade. It occurs from Khuboes near the Namibia / South Africa border in the north to Piekenierskloof pass in the Western Cape Province in the south (pers. obs., A. G. Ellis), with a distribution gap within the Knersvlakte (Fig. 1).	en	Theron, Genevieve L., Ellis, Allan G., Midgley, John M. (2025): A revision of a spring-active clade of Prosoeca Schiner, 1867 (Diptera, Nemestrinidae), keystone pollinators from the Greater Cape Floristic Region in South Africa, with descriptions of three new species. ZooKeys 1257: 249-284, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1257.155954
80C7E56843AD5DB08A4342A3864073FD.taxon	type_taxon	Type species. Nemestrina westermanni (Weidemann, 1821), by original designation.	en	Theron, Genevieve L., Ellis, Allan G., Midgley, John M. (2025): A revision of a spring-active clade of Prosoeca Schiner, 1867 (Diptera, Nemestrinidae), keystone pollinators from the Greater Cape Floristic Region in South Africa, with descriptions of three new species. ZooKeys 1257: 249-284, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1257.155954
76DBCF73274950AEA12ECD89888A8DAF.taxon	description	Figs 1, 3 A, 4 A, 5 A, 6 A, 7 A, B	en	Theron, Genevieve L., Ellis, Allan G., Midgley, John M. (2025): A revision of a spring-active clade of Prosoeca Schiner, 1867 (Diptera, Nemestrinidae), keystone pollinators from the Greater Cape Floristic Region in South Africa, with descriptions of three new species. ZooKeys 1257: 249-284, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1257.155954
76DBCF73274950AEA12ECD89888A8DAF.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis (adapted from Theron et al. 2020). Medium- to large-sized (length 12 – 21 mm), dark body, with intricate patterns on the abdomen, dark brown legs, proboscis length 1.10 ± 0.02 × the length of the body (range of un-extended proboscis length 14 – 24 mm), and patterned smoky brown infuscation on the anterior 1 / 2 of the wing. Prosoeca torquata, P. marinusi Barraclough, 2018 and P. peringueyi Lichtwardt, 1920 can be distinguished from all other species in the clade by their proboscis which is longer than the length of their bodies, in contrast to P. ora sp. nov., P. aquilo sp. nov. and P. parva sp. nov. that have a proboscis shorter than the length of their body. Prosoeca torquata and P. peringueyi both have a distinct dark smoky brown wing anterior, abruptly becoming hyaline on the posterior section (Fig. 5 A, C). Prosoeca torquata differs most noticeably from P. peringueyi and P. marinusi, by the presence of a white band of pile on the anterior of the thorax and white pile on the face (Figs 3 A, 6 A), which is largely lacking in the latter two species. Additionally, P. torquata has a darker thorax than P. peringueyi. Prosoeca torquata generally has a proboscis that is only slightly longer than the body, in comparison to P. marinusi and P. peringueyi, which both have a proboscis substantially longer than the body. Prosoeca torquata can be found north of the Knersvlakte to the southern part of Namibia.	en	Theron, Genevieve L., Ellis, Allan G., Midgley, John M. (2025): A revision of a spring-active clade of Prosoeca Schiner, 1867 (Diptera, Nemestrinidae), keystone pollinators from the Greater Cape Floristic Region in South Africa, with descriptions of three new species. ZooKeys 1257: 249-284, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1257.155954
76DBCF73274950AEA12ECD89888A8DAF.taxon	distribution	Geographical distribution. Prosoeca torquata occurs between Namuskluft in Namibia (single NMNW specimen) in the north and the Knersvlakte region in the Northern Cape Province at Uilklip in the south and is generally abundant when host plants are flowering (Fig. 1).	en	Theron, Genevieve L., Ellis, Allan G., Midgley, John M. (2025): A revision of a spring-active clade of Prosoeca Schiner, 1867 (Diptera, Nemestrinidae), keystone pollinators from the Greater Cape Floristic Region in South Africa, with descriptions of three new species. ZooKeys 1257: 249-284, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1257.155954
