Euscelidia brunnea (Loew, 1858) Dikow, 2003

Dikow, Torsten, 2003, Revision of the genus Euscelidia Westwood, 1850 (Diptera: Asilidae: Leptogastrinae), African Invertebrates 44 (2), pp. 1-131 : 30-32

Euscelidia brunnea (Loew, 1858) , comb. n. ( E. brunnea species-group)

Figs 19 , 21F

Leptogaster brunneus Loew, 1858: 353 ; 1860: 103; Hull 1962: 300; Oldroyd 1980: 357.

Diagnosis: The species is distinguished from congeners by the short appressed pruinosity on the sct and features of the ơ terminalia (d aed shea open, extending gonp, lat pr aed short).

Redescription: Head: Black; fc silver pruinose, fc gib indistinct, mystax white, many macrosetae; oc tr brown pruinose dorsally; occ in upper half brown on lower half silver pruinose, setae white; Antennae - scp and ped brown, setae brown; pped brown, white pruinose; apsel brown; Thorax: Black; sct bluish-black, covered with dense, short, brown pruinosity, 2 median narrow longitudinal stripes shine through the pruinosity, lateral and posterior margins silver pruinose, few white setae on margins; macrosetae: black, 1 npl s, 1 spal s, 1 pal (not always present); sctl silver pruinose, ds sctl s and sctl s short, white; Legs - yellow to brown; fem yellow proximally, light brown distad, meta fem with brown stripes laterally; tib brown, pale yellow stripe anteriorly; emp minute; Wings - hyaline, few microtrichia scattered on remigium and margins; ptero indistinct, light brown; cell d terminating in 2 veins; hlt yellow; Abdomen: Black; T brown pruinose dorsally, yellow pruinose laterally, T1 with yellow setae, remaining T with yellow setae, S yellow pruinose; ơ terminalia Fig. 21F - sur pointed distally, lobe ventrally; hypd bent upwards, divided into 2 lobes; d aed shea open, extending gonp, lat pr aed short; lat apod simple.

Type material - The holotype of undeterminable gender is labelled ‘R. / 262 / 83 52 (red label) / 95. / Leptogaster brunneus / HOLOTYPE Leptogaster brunneus Loew, 1858 by T. Dikow 2001 (red label)’. The specimen is double mounted (minuten in block of foam), is in relatively good condition (abdomen broken, T1–3 attached to specimens pin on a piece of cardboard), and is deposited in the NHRS.

A B C D E

G H I

Type locality and distribution ( Fig. 19 ): South Africa , ‘ Caffraria’, no exact co-ordinates available. The type specimens were collected by Wahlberg, who travelled in south-eastern South Africa ( Usher 1972) . Botswana, South Africa .

Material examined: BOTSWANA: 1^ 1ơ Nata to Maun , 19 58'S 23 25'E, 26.xii.1980 ; SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape Prov: 1^ Maclear , 30 51'S 28 11'E, 3.ii.1992 ; 1^ Huguenot , 31 04'S 26 36'E, ii.1932 ; 1ơ Hankey area , 3325CC, 1– 10.xii.1967 ; 1^ Alicedale [several such localities], 21.i.1982 ; Free State Prov: 1ơ Harrismith , 28 13'S 29 04'E, 4.xii.1991 ; 1^ Harrismith , ii.1927 ; 1^ Thaba Nchu , 2926BA, 26.iii.1982 ; Gauteng Prov: 3^^ 1ơ Pretoria , 25 45'S 28 10'E, 3.iv.1985 ; KwaZulu-Natal: 1^ Farm Gelykwater , 27 30'46''S 30 25'01''E, 1.xii.1999 ; 1ơ Itala Game Reserve , 27 27'S 31 13'E, 10–23.xii.1992 ; 1^ Nkandla Forest , 28 43'S 31 08'E, 19.i.1984 ; 1^ 1ơ Melmoth , 28 35'S 31 23'E, 15.iii.1987 ; 1^ 2?? Van Reenen , 28 22'S 29 23'E, 1–22.i.1927 ; 1^ Babanango , 28 22'S 31 05'E, 14.iii.1987 ; 1ơ Royal Natal National Park , 28 44'S 28 55'E, 6–10.xii.1984 ; 1^ Eshowe Dlinza Forest Res., 2831CD, 20–23.xi.1978 ; 2^^ Eshowe , 21.xii.1985 ; 1^ Goudhoek , 28 23'S 31 05'E, 24.ii.1990 ; 1^ Cathkin , 28 59'S 29 25'E, 19–21.ii.1993 ; 2^^ Hluhluwe , 28 05'S 32 05'E, 29.xi.1973 ; 1^ 1ơ Karkloof , 29 13'S 30 16'E, 12.xii.1978 ; 1^ Howick , 2930AC, 15.xii.1979 ; 1^ 1ơ Howick, 1904; 1ơ Bishopstowe , 2930CB, 11.xii.1981 ; 3^^ 3ơơ Bishopstowe , 2930CB, 11.ii.1981 ; 2^^ 1ơ Balgowan area , 29 21'S 30 05'E, 28.xii.1993 ; 1^ 1ơ Garden Castle Nature Res. , 29 45'S 29 15'E, 6–11.i.1988 ; 1^ Krantzkloof Nature Reserve , 29 45'S 30 51'E, 1.ii.2000 ; 1ơ Krantzkloof Nat. Res. , 2930DD, 8.xi.1984 ; 1^ New Germany Nature Reserve , 29 49'S 30 53'E, 29.ii.1993 ; 1^ Doreen Clarke Nature Reserve , 2930CB, 26.iii.1986 ; 1^ Nhluzane Mountain , 29 33'S 29 56'E, 3.ii.1957 ; 1ơ Pietermaritzburg , 29 37'S 30 23'E, 25.xii.1982 ; 1^ Ramsgate , 3030CD, 8–17.i.1982 ; 1^ Kwanzimela Valley , 3.iii.1986 ; 2ơơ 1? Dargle McLeod Farm , 4.xii.1991 ; Mpumalanga: 1ơ Potgietersrus , 24 15'S 28 58'E, 24–27.i.1978 ; 1^ 1ơ Pretoriuskop , 25 09'S 31 15'E, 20–21.ii.1968 ; 1^ Nelspruit , 25 27'S 30 58'E, xi.1959 ; Western Cape Prov: 1? Aliwal North , 30 42'S 26 42'E,. xii.1922 ; 1^ 3ơơ Vanrhynsdorp , 31 46'S 18 48'E, 3.xi.1991 ; 1^ 1ơ Gifberg Pass , 3118DB, 16.xi.1986 ; 1ơ Somerset East , 32 43'S 25 34'E, x.1930 ; 1^ Oudtshoorn , 33 35'S 22 12'E, 30.i.1980 ; 3^^ 1? Stellenbosch , 33 56'S 18 51'E, 8.i.1968, 27.i.1971, 18.iii.1981 ; 1^ Moorreesburg , 33 08'S 18 40'E, 9.ii.1983 ; 3^^ 1ơ Louterwater , 3323DC, 13.xii.1979 ; 1^ Bainskloof Pass , 33 35'S 19 08'E, 21–22.ii.1974 ; 1ơ Du Toit’s Kloof Pass , 33 44'S 19 11'E, 23.i.1985 ; 2^^ 2ơơ Knysna , 3423AA, 9–10.xii.1979 ; 1ơ 1? Kommetjie , 34 08'S 18 19'E, 13.xii.1989 ; 1ơ Muizenburg , 3418AB, 28.xi.1981 ; 1^ Bokfontein [several such localities], 8.iii.1985 . Depository : BMNH, NMSA, USNM, ZMHB .

Remarks: Euscelidia brunnea is the most widely distributed species in the species-group. Some variation is evident in the length of the lat pr aed, which are sometimes longer in specimens that have been examined from the Western Cape Province, South Africa. However, they show the characteristic features for this species, i.e. bluish-black sct and only few microtrichia on the wings.

Figures

Fig. 19. Distribution. Euscelidia brunnea, circles; E. capensis sp. n., star; E. ochricornis, squares; E. pipinna sp. n., pentagon.

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.