Euscelidia peteraxi, Dikow, 2003

Dikow, Torsten, 2003, Revision of the genus Euscelidia Westwood, 1850 (Diptera: Asilidae: Leptogastrinae), African Invertebrates 44 (2), pp. 1-131 : 92-93

Euscelidia peteraxi sp. n.

Figs 11A–E , 14 Etymology: The specific name ‘ peteraxi ’ is a noun in apposition. The name is proposed by the Gesellschaft für Biologische Systematik (Organisms, Diversity & Evolution) to acknowledge the contribution to phylogenetic systematics made over many years by Prof. Dr Peter Ax, Göttingen, Germany, who has been awarded an honorary membership of the society.

Diagnosis: The species is distinguished from congeners by the short, rigid macrosetae comprising the mystax, grey pruinose sct, and features of the ơ terminalia (sur with lobe dorsally and ventrally, d aed shea very short).

Description: Head: Black; fc silver pruinose, fc gib indistinct, mystax white, many short, rigid macrosetae; prob and plp dark brown, setae white; oc tr silver pruinose dorsally; occ silver pruinose, setae white; Antennae - scp brown, white setae ventrally, white pruinose; ped brown, brown setae ventrally and dorsally, white pruinose; pped light brown, white pruinose; apsel hyaline with brown tip.

Thorax: Black; ppro peg large, silver pruinose; sct black, sometimes orange on anterior margin, brown pruinose, margins silver pruinose, 2 narrow median longitudinal stripes, not reaching posterior margin, and 2 lateral stripes, not reaching anterior and posterior margins, apruinose, white setae on margins; macrosetae: white, 1 npl s, 1 spal s; sctl silver pruinose, ds sctl s and sctl s short, white; Legs - yellow to brown; fem yellow proximally, brown distally, setae white, meta fem clubbed, club with short white setae; tib proximally yellow, brown distad, pale yellow stripe not reaching tip on meta tib anteriorly; first tar yellow, brown distad, remaining tar brown, setae black; emp minute; Wings - hyaline, brown stained, especially anterior and posterior to r-m, microtrichia evenly scattered on remigium; ptero distinct, brown; cell d terminating in 2 veins; hlt light brown.

Abdomen: Black; T predominantly brown pruinose, anterior, lateral, and posterior margins grey pruinose, T1 with long brown setae laterally, T 2 in proximal third with few brown setae laterally, remaining T with short yellow and brown setae, S grey pruinose; ơ terminalia Figs 11A–E - sur pointed distally, lobe dorsally and ventrally; hypd bent upwards, divided distally into 2 short lobes; d aed shea short; lat apod simple.

Type material - The ơ holotype is labelled ‘SOUTH WEST AFRICA 2617 Ca Bethanien Dist. 15 km. W. Goageb, 1100 m. 19-II-1974 ME Irwin, sandy river bed / HOLOTYPE Euscelidia peteraxi 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.

The ơ paratype is labelled ‘SOUTH WEST AFRICA 2617 Ca Bethanien Dist. 15 km. W. Goageb, 1100 m. 19-II-1974 ME Irwin, sandy river bed / PARATYPE Euscelidia peteraxi sp. nov. det. T. Dikow 2001 (yellow label)’. The specimen is double mounted (minuten in block of foam), is in excellent condition, and is deposited in the NMSA .

Type locality and distribution ( Fig. 14 ): Namibia , Goageb (15 km W), 26 41'S 17 05'E. Namibia .

Material examined: NAMIBIA: 1^ Okahandja, 21 58'S 16 54'E, 2–4.ii. 1972 ; 1ơ Okahandja , 24.i.1934 ; 1ơ Omaruru , 2115BD, 5.ii.1974 ; 1ơ Gobabeb , 23 32'S 15 01'E, 8.vi.1979 ; 2^^ 1ơ Khan river , 21 47'S 15 55'E, 27.iii.1984 . Depository : BMNH, NMSA .

Figures

Fig. 11. ơ terminalia. A–E. Euscelidia peteraxi sp. n. A. Dorsal. B. Ventral. C. Lateral. D. Hypandrium posterior. E. Aedeagus lateral. F–K. E. acuminata sp. n. F. Hypandrium posterior. G. Aedeagus lateral. H. Dorsal. I. Ventral. K. Lateral. Scale lines = 1 mm.

Fig. 14. Distribution. Euscelidia bechuana sp. n., pentagons; E. fistula sp. n., squares; E. longibifida sp. n., circles; E. peteraxi sp. n., triangles.