Euscelidia vallis, Dikow, 2003

Dikow, Torsten, 2003, Revision of the genus Euscelidia Westwood, 1850 (Diptera: Asilidae: Leptogastrinae), African Invertebrates 44 (2), pp. 1-131 : 39

Euscelidia vallis sp. n. ( E. brunnea species-group)

Figs 21I , 22

Etymology: Latin noun vallis = valley; refers to the Mhlopeni river valley, in which the type locality lies.

Diagnosis: The species is distinguished from congeners by the predominantly brown pruinose sct, the densely arranged microtrichia on the wings, and features of the ơ terminalia (d aed shea open, extending gonp, lat pr rounded distally).

Description: Head: Black; fc yellow pruinose, silver pruinose around mystax, fc gib indistinct, mystax white, many macrosetae; prob and plp brownish-black, setae white; oc tr apruinose; occ silver pruinose (dorsal part less pruinose with some apruinose spots), setae white and yellowish; Antennae - scp brown, white setae ventrally; ped brown, brown setae ventrally and dorsally, white pruinose; pped brown, white pruinose; apsel brown.

Thorax: Black; ppro peg large, silver pruinose; sct predominantly brown pruinose, lateral and posterior margins silver pruinose, 2 lateral stripes, not reaching anterior and posterior margins, slightly apruinose, few short white setae on margins; macrosetae: 1 white npl s, 1 black spal s, 1 black pal; sctl silver pruinose, ds sctl s and sctl s short, brown; Legs - yellow to brown; pro and meso fem yellow, meta fem pale yellow proximally, remaining part brown, clubbed, club with brown stripe laterally, setae white; pro tib yellow, meso and meta tib brown, pale yellow stripe not reaching tip on meta tib anteriorly; first tar in proximal 2/3 pale yellow, brown distad, remaining tar brown, setae black; emp minute; Wings - densely covered with microtrichia, cell br with only few microtrichia; ptero distinct, brown; cell d terminating in 2 veins; hlt light brown.

Abdomen: Black; T brown pruinose dorsally, grey pruinose laterally, T1 with long white and brown setae laterally, white and brown setae on remaining T, S grey pruinose; ơ terminalia Fig. 21I - sur pointed distally, lobe ventrally; hypd bent upwards, divided into 2 lobes; d aed shea open, extending gonp, lat pr aed rounded; lat apod simple.

Type material - The ơ holotype is labelled ‘ SOUTH AFRICA; Natal Mhlopeni Nature Res. 15 km SE Muden 2930 AB Coll. J.G.H. Londt Date: 4.ii.1984 (date handwritten) / HOLOTYPE Euscelidia vallis sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (red label)’. The specimen is double mounted (minuten in block of foam), is in excellent condition, and is deposited in the NMSA.

A ơ paratype has same labels as holotype except ‘ PARATYPE Euscelidia vallis sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (yellow label)’. The specimen is double mounted (minuten in block of foam), is in excellent condition (ơ terminalia attached to specimens pin in micro vial), and is deposited in the NMSA .

Type locality and distribution ( Fig. 22 ): South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal , Mhlopeni Nature Reserve , 29 00'S 30 25'E. South Africa .

Material examined: SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: 1ơ Van Reenen, 28 22'S 29 23'E, 1–22.i.1927. Depository: BMNH .

Figures

Fig. 21. ơ terminalia. A–E. Euscelidia natalensis sp. n. A. Dorsal. B. Ventral. C. Lateral. D. Hypandrium posterior. E. Aedeagus lateral. F–I. Aegeagi lateral. F. E. brunnea. G. E. cana sp. n. H. E. capensis sp. n. I. E. vallis sp. n. Scale line = 1 mm.

Fig. 22. Distribution. Euscelidia cana sp. n., pentagon; E. natalensis sp. n., circles; E. notialis sp. n., squares; E. vallis sp. n., triangles; E. zumpti, star.