Bathypogon ochraceus Hull, 1959: 17

Lavigne, Robert J., 2020, Current condition of Bathypogon types (Diptera: Asilidae) described by Frank M Hull and housed in the South Australian Museum of Natural History with notes on other Bathypogon types, Zootaxa 4868 (4), pp. 560-576 : 566-568

Bathypogon ochraceus Hull, 1959: 17 (whole mount-Fig. 8, hypandrium-Fig. 16)

Holotype ♂ Label data: Holotype Bathypogon ochraceus Hull // Owieandana / N. Flinders Ra. / Hale & Tindale; Nov. 1924. [Aquisition No.: SAMA Database No 29-001186 ]

Condition: largely destroyed. Head: postpedicel of both antennae missing. Thorax: left side of thorax eaten out, balsam obscures most of thorax. Wings: intact. Legs: hind legs missing. Abdomen: only basal 4 segments remain, balsam obscures most features. Genitalia: missing.

Allotype ♀ Label data: Allotype Bathypogon ochraceus Hull // Owieandana / N. Flinders Ra. / Hale & Tindale; Nov. 1924. [Aquisition No.: SAMA Database No 29-001187 ]

Condition: Poor. Head: hole in left eye. Thorax: inside of thorax eaten out, hole in right side of thorax. Wings: intact. Legs: hind legs glued to body with balsam. Abdomen: abdomen glued to thorax with balsam. Genitalia: intact.

Paratype ♂ Label data: PARATYPE // Owieandana/ N. Flinders Ra./ Hale & Tindale; Nov. 1924. [Aquisition No.: SAMA Database No 29-001188]

Condition: Poor. Head: head glued to thorax with balsam; postpedicel of both antennae missing. Thorax: large hole replacing right side of thorax. Wings: intact. Legs: intact. Abdomen: intact. Genitalia: intact.

[Author’s Note: Although not noted in the publication, Owieandana, N Flinders Range, is located in South Australia. In the published paper, Hull only records the Holotype ♂, the Allotype ♀ and one Paratype ♂; however in the SA collection there are additional specimens all with type labels affixed. There is no way of determining which “ paratype ” is the one referred to in the publication. These additional specimens are listed below:

Paratype ♂ Label data: PARATYPE // Owieandana/ N. Flinders Ra./ Hale & Tindale; Nov. 1924. [Aquisition No.: SAMA Database No 29-001189]

Condition: Poor. Head: head partially destroyed, glued back onto thorax with balsam. Thorax: intact. Wings: intact. Legs: intact. Abdomen: dorsum of 3 basal segments eaten out, replaced by balsam; apical segment telescoped into 5 th segment and glued with balsam. Genitalia: intact.

Paratype ♂ Label data: PARATYPE // Owieandana/ N. Flinders Ra./ Hale & Tindale; Nov. 1924. [Aquisition No.: SAMA Database No 29-001190]

Condition: Very poor. Head: head broken off. Thorax: most of thorax broken off. Wings: intact. Legs: fore legs missing. Abdomen: abdomen glued to thorax with balsam. Genitalia: intact.

Paratype ♀ Label data: PARATYPE // Owieandana/ N. Flinders Ra./ Hale & Tindale; Nov. 1924. [Aquisition No.: SAMA Database No 29-001191]

Condition: Very poor. Head: eyes with multiple holes; postpedicel of both antennae missing. Thorax: interior of thorax eaten out. Wings: intact. Legs: left mid leg with apical 4 segments missing, based jammed into thorax and glued to thorax with balsam; right hind leg missing. Abdomen: abdomen glued to thorax with balsam. Genitalia: intact.

[Author’s 2 nd Note: White labels, with the notation ‘ Nov 1924 ’, are affixed upside down on the pins of all of the above specimens of Bathypogon ochraceus in the SA Museum Entomology collection. In Hull’s paper, the notation at the end of the description states “No dates given”. One might question how closely the specimens were examined when the original descriptions were written, considering that he presumably had access to an excellent artist and that the two volume work ( Hull 1962) he produced entitled ‘Robber Flies of the World’, was replete with illustrations; yet there are no illustrations of any of the new species in the papers noted herein. It should also be noted that two intact males labelled “ paratypes ” of Bathypogon ochraceus exist in the Canadian Insect Collection in Ottawa (J. Cummings, curator – pers. comm.]