Gonioscelis punctipennis Engel, 1925

Londt, Jason G. H., 2004, A review of the afrotropical genus Gonioscelis Schiner, 1866 (Diptera: Asilidae), with descriptions of new species, African Invertebrates 45, pp. 21-124 : 81-83

Gonioscelis punctipennis Engel, 1925

Figs 5 , 8 , 101–103 , 151

Gonioscelis punctipennis Engel, 1925: 170–171 .

Redescription: Based primarily on holotype ^ ( ZMHB), but supplemented by information from other specimens .

Head: Antennal scape and pedicel orange-brown, postpedicel and style brown, setae mostly white. Facial swelling pronounced ( Fig. 5 ), mystax black with two vertical rows of white setae among black ones (none between gibbosity and antennal sockets). Frons and vertex largely apruinose (frons slightly gold pruinose). Ocellar tubercle apruinose with black oc. Occiput silver pruinose, pronounced silver streak behind vertex, setae ranging from dark red-brown and yellow dorsally, through yellow to white ventrally. Proboscis and palpus dark red-brown, with white setae.

Thorax: Dark red-brown to black, silver pruinose. Postpronotal lobes and narrow adjacent border orange, contrasting with rest of mesonotum, pale yellow and white setose. Mesonotal setae: ac black, a few anteriorly and posteriorly only (central area without setae); approx. 17 pairs dc, strong, black, clearly extending anterior of transverse suture; 3 npl (1 each of yellow, brown and black); 7 black sa plus few tiny black setae; 3 black pa. Scutellum yellow-brown with dark red-brown anterior margin, silver pruinose, with 4 black mrg sct. Wing length 11.2 mm, membrane mostly hyaline with dark brown microtrichia at crossveins (giving wings a spotted appearance – Fig. 8 ). Legs: All femora yellow with red-brown proximal ends (more extensive on prothoracic femora where proximal half is red-brown), tibiae yellow with red-brown distal ends, tarsi red-brown except for yellow pro- and mesothoracic basitarsi, setae white except for a few black ones on femoral spur, tibiae and tarsi. Prothoracic coxa dark red-brown, silver pruinose, white setose; femoral spur sharply pointed (angle approx. 20°).

Abdomen: Tergites red-brown except for narrow yellow-brown hind margins, weakly silver pruinose anteriorly (most tergites apruinose), setae white. Sternites red-brown, apruinose, white setose.

Terminalia ( Figs 101–103 ): Long ep (epandrial lobes project beyond level achieved by proctiger), lobes tapering distally to tips equipped with a group of long macrosetae; gcx distally with three dorsal projections and a few fine setae; hyp, in ventral view, slightly broader than long, tapering moderately quickly to shallowly bilobed apex equipped with long fine terminal macrosetae.

Variation:A remarkably constant species showing little variation or sexual dimorphism. Type material: SOUTH AFRICA: 1^ holotype (seen), ‘ Caffraria, Drège S. ’, ‘471’, ‘ G. punctipennis / det. Engel n. sp. / Type!’, ‘ Holotypus’, ‘ Zool. Mus. / Berlin’ ( ZMHB). Type locality: Here designated as South Africa: 25 km N Kamieskroon.

Other material: SOUTH AFRICA: 1ơ 4^, ‘Sth Africa: Cape Prov. Richtersveld 9km S / Lekkersing 2.ix.1989 / 29°03'30"S: 17°07'30"E / J Londt B Stuckenberg / & P Croeser Karragab / kloof rocky area 300m’; 1^, Sth Africa: N Cape / 12 km S of Lekkersing / 29°06'15"S: 17°05'27"E / 26.viii.2002 JGH Londt / 300m Rocky hillside’; 3ơ 3^, ‘Sth Africa Cape Prov / Aninaus Pass 2917BA / 4.ix.1983 J Londt & / B Stuckenberg Rocky / hillside & dry river’; 1^, ‘ S. Africa: 20 mi. N. / Steinkopf, [29°15'S 17°44'E] 700m. / 24-ix-1967 / E.S. Ross & / A.R. Stephen’ ( CASC); 1^, Sth Africa: N Cape / Anenous Pass 17 km / W Steinkopf 630m / 29°13'56"S: 17°36'06"E / 28.viii.2002 JGH Londt / Rocky hillside area; 1^, ‘Sth Africa: N Cape / 7 km SSE Nababeep / 29°37'13"S: 17°50'29"E / 24.viii.2002 JGH Londt / 1020m Rocky hillside / with sandy areas below’; 2ơ 2^, ‘ R.S. A.: N Cape #84 / 11km N of Komaggas / 29°43'S 17°31'E 360m / Date: 24.viii.1995 / Coll: J. &A. Londt / Rocky slope Flowers’; 1^, ‘ R.S. A.: N Cape #85 / 5km N of Komaggas / 29°45'S 17°31'E 390m / Date: 24.viii.1995 / Coll: J. & A. Londt / Rocky slope Macchia’; 2ơ 6^, ‘Sth Africa Cape Prov / 25km N Kamieskroon / 2917DD 5.ix.1983 / Stuckenberg & Londt / Rocky hillside veget’; 1ơ, ‘Sth Africa Cape Prov / 20km NE Springbok / 2918CA 7.ix.1983 / Londt & Stuckenberg / Rocky hillside & dry / watercourse veget.’; 1ơ, ‘Sth Africa: Cape Prov / 78km S of Springbok / 30°01'30"S: 17°52'30"E / 31.viii.1989 700m / B Stuckenberg J Londt / P Croeser Sandy area / 4km S Bufelsrivier’; 1ơ, ‘ R.S. A.: N Cape #86 / Skilpad Nature Reserve / 30°10'S 17°47'E 700m / Date: 25.viii.1995 / Coll: J. & A. Londt / Old lands Rocky hill’; 1ơ 1^ ‘Bowesdorp [30°09'S 17°56'E] / Namaqualand / SA Museum’ ~ ‘Mus. Staff / Sept. 1941 ’ ( SAMC); 1^, Between Kamieskroon [30°12'S 17°56'E] / and Springbok / Namaqualand’ ~ ‘Mus. Staff / Oct. 1939 ’ ( SAMC); 1ơ 1^, ‘Sth Africa Cape Prov / 10km E Garies / 3017BD 3.ix.1981 / J. Londt, L. Schoeman / and B. Stuckenberg. / Succulent Karoo’; 1^, ‘ South Africa : Cape / Prov.; 7 km SE Garies [30°33'S 17°59'E] / 9-ix-1984 / Me E. Irwin / damp wash’, ‘INHS / Insect Collection / 34,113’ ( INHS); 2ơ 4^, ‘ R.S. A.: N Cape #94 / 21km NE Garies / 30°27'S 18°04'E 810m / Date: 27.viii.1995 / Coll: J. & A. Londt / Studers Pass Stream’; 1^, ‘ Sth Africa Cape Prov / 8km E of Kamieskroon / 3018AA 5.ix.1983 / Londt & Stuckenberg / Montane old land with / rocks & bushes nearby’; 3ơ, ‘ Sth Africa Cape Prov / Studers Pass 22km NE / of Garies 3018AC / 6.ix.1983 J Londt & / B Stuckenberg Stream / edge & rocky slopes’; 6ơ 9^, ‘ Sth Africa Cape Prov / 10km W Garies / 3018CA 3.ix.1981 / J. Londt, L. Schoeman / and B. Stuckenberg. / Namaqual. Broken veld’; 2ơ 4^, ‘ Sth Africa Cape Prov / 5km N Niewoudville / 3119AC 5.ix.1981 / J. Londt, L. Schoeman / and B. Stuckenberg. / W. Mountain Karoo’ ; 1ơ 1^, ‘ Sth Africa Cape Prov / Wolwehoek / 31°51'S 20°34'E / Date: 26 Oct. 1981 / Coll: L. E. Schoeman’ .

Distribution, phenology and biology (Tables 1–2, Fig. 151 ): Distribution extending from the Richtersveld in the north to the Roggeveldberge, west of Middelpos, in the south. All localities are within the Northern Cape province of South Africa and fall within the Succulent Karoo biome. The species has been found from August to October. Specimens frequently rest on boulders in rocky areas. There are five Natal Museum prey records as follows: 1ơ 4^ (10 km W Garies 3; 11 km N Komaggas 1; 25 km N Kamieskroon 1) – Coleoptera ( Scarabaeidae 2, Undetermined 1), Hemiptera ( Pentatomidae 1), Isoptera ( Hodotermitidae 1).

Similar species: Closely related to other spotted-winged species ( chloris , exouros and kedros ) of the west coast of southern Africa. The species is most similar to exouros , known only from the Richtersveld, and it is mainly the differently formed proctiger that separates them.

Figures

Figs 2–5. Gonioscelis species, head, showing development of facial gibbosity and mystax. 2. G. submaculatus Speiser, 1910 (Valley of Lower Shire), poorly defined gibbosity, and mystax extending fairly strongly to antennal sockets. 3. G. longulus Ricardo, 1925 (Paul Roux), moderate gibbosity, and mystax extending moderately to antennal sockets. 4. G. lacertosus Engel, 1925 (Hantamsberg Summit), moderate gibbosity, and small weak setae between gibbosity and antennal sockets. 5. G. punctipennis Engel, 1925 (Garies), well-developed gibbosity, and complete lack of setae between gibbosity and antennal sockets.

Figs 6–9. Gonioscelis species, wing, showing some variation encountered. 6. G. ventralis Schiner, 1867 (Vaalbos National Park) microtrichial colours results in central parts of cells appearing darker than areas adjacent to veins. 7. G. cuthbertsoni sp. n. (Angwa Bridge) showing very weak spotting at forks and crossveins.8. G. punctipennis Engel, 1925 (10 km W Garies) showing strong spotting at forks and crossveins. 9. G. melas sp. n. (31 km N Sutherland) showing generally dark wings caused mainly by black microtrichia.

Figs 101–112. Gonioscelis male genitalia. 101–103. G. punctipennis Engel, 1925 (25 km N Kamieskroon). 101. Lateral. 102. Dorsal. 103. Ventral. 104–106. G. ramphis sp. n. (Mahalapye paratype). 104. Lateral. 105. Dorsal. 106. Ventral. 107–109. G. scapularis (Macquart, 1838) (4 km SW Clanwilliam). 107. Lateral. 108. Dorsal. 109. Ventral. 110–112. G. submaculatus Speiser, 1910 (Zomba). 110. Lateral. 111. Dorsal. 112. Ventral. Scale lines = 1 mm.

Figs 150–151. Distribution of Gonioscelis species found only along the west coast of South Africa. 150. closed square = ceresae, cross = iota, open circle = melas. 151. closed circle = chloris, open circle = exouros, closed square = kedros, open square = punctipennis.