Clinopogon, Bezzi, 1910

J. G. H. Londt & R. S. Copeland, 2017, Nanoculcita, a new genus of Afrotropical robber fly from Kenya (Asilidae: Stichopogoninae), African Entomology 25 (2), pp. 292-301 : 299-300

A note on the distribution of Clinopogon

During the course of this study a number of new, unpublished, records for Clinopogon were encountered. Only two species are known from the region – C. nicobarensis (Schiner, 1868) and C. reginaldi (Séguy, 1955) . While we have not seen representatives of C. reginaldi , known only from Tromelin Island [15°53’14”S 54°31’15”E, 1 m], we suspect that a re-evaluation of the material may well show it to be a synonym of C. nicobarensis . It is now possible to generate a reasonable map of distribution for the genus in the Afrotropics ( Fig. 12 ). It is a widely distributed beach-inhabiting species that almost certainly has been distributed by oceanic currents carrying floating debris in much the same way as suggested for Notiolaphria coerulescens (Macquart, 1834) ( Londt 2015) .

Material examined ( Londt 1979 records*). MADAGASCAR: 1♀ ‘Madagascar N / Ramena [12°14’57”S 49°20’30”E, 0 m] / 19.iv.1991 / A Freidberg / & Fini Kaplan’ ( NMSA); 5♂ 3♀ ‘Madagascar NW / Nosy Be, Beach / Ambatoloaka [13°23’39”S 48°12’19”E, 0 m], / 4.7. iv.1991 / A Freidberg / & Fini Kaplan’ ( NMSA); 2♂ 2♀ ‘Madagascar: Nosy / Boraha: 5 km N Ambo- / difotatra [16°57’51”S 49°51’44”E, 0 m], 15.iv.1982 / leg. Barkemayer’ ( NMSA); 1♂ ‘On beach / Fenerive [Fenoarivo – 17°22’11”S 49°24’39”E, 0 m], / Madagascar / Dec.1955 / B Stuckenberg’ ( NMSA)*; 4♀ ‘Madagascar Sud-Est / Sainte-Luce S [24°48’10”S 47°09’49”E], 1 0 m / dct. Fort-Dauphin / 22–24.ii.53, B Stuckenberg’ ( NMSA)*. MAURITIUS: 2♀ ‘ St. Brandon / Raphaël [16°25’43”S 59°36’40”E, 0 m] / 28.iv.67 / CM Courtois ( NMSA)*; 2♂ 1♀ ‘Mauritius / Albatros Id / St Brandon [16°35’S 59°37’E, 0 m] / 29.iv.67 / CM Courtois ( NMSA)*; 1♀ ‘Mauritius / Fort William [20°09’09”S 57°28’55”E, 0 m] / 12.xii.1961 / CM Courtois’ ( NMSA); 1♀ ‘Mauritius / Palmer [20°12’42”S 57°47’32”E, 0 m] / 14.iii.1939 / CM Courtois’ ( NMSA with prey - Heteroptera Veliidae ,)*; 1♂ 2♀ 1? ‘Mauritius / Ile aux Cerfs [20°16’25”S 57°48’26”E, 0 m] / 20.i.1963 / CM Courtois’ ( NMSA). SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: 1♂ ‘Mtunzini [28°57’49”S 31°46’03”E, 10 m] / Zululand 7.ii.65 / T. Schofield’ ( NMSA)*; 1♂ ‘South Africa: Natal / Umlalazi Nature Res. [28°57’49”S 31°46’03”E, 5 m] / 26–27.i.1987 / JGH Londt SE2831DD / Dune forest & margin’ ( NMSA); 1♀ ‘Tugela River / Mouth [29°13’11”S 31°30’27”E, 0 m] / Natal / 9.iii.1962 / collector / T. Schofield ( NMSA)*; 1♀ ‘Blythdale / Beach [Stanger] [29°22’21”S 31°21’05”E, 0 m] / Natal / 25.ii.1963 / T.W. Schofield’ ( NMSA)*; 1♂ (holotype of S. grossus ), ‘Durban [29°51’02”S 31°02’21”E, 0 m], / Bell-Marley’ (DMSA); 1♀ (allotype of S. grossus ), ‘Bluff [29°53’36”S 31°02’51”E, 0 m], Durban, / 27.iii.1920 / Barker (DMSA); 1♂ ‘South Africa: Natal / Ramsgate 3030Cd [30°52’28”S 30°21’50”E, 0 m] / 10–18.i.1981 / JGH Londt (dunes)’ ( NMSA). YEMEN: Yemen, Socotra Archipelago, Socotra Island: 1♂, bay of Sha’ab, Avicennia mangrove, 12°34’N 53°24’E [c. 7 m], 20.ii.1939, H. Pohl, HLMD-Dip-258. (Hessisches Landesmuseum Darmstadt, Germany). Recorded by Geller-Grimm (2002).

In addition the following material is found in the USNM collection (T. Dikow pers. comm.): 1♀, Kwale: Msambweni, on beach, –4.4736 39.4906 [c. 04°28’25”S 39°29’26”E, 7 m], 27.xii.1998 – 2.i.1999, R. Copeland (USNMENTO1096927); 7♂ 2♀, same data but 3.i.2000 (USNMENTO1096973, USNM-ENTO1097316, USNMENTO1097319, USNM-ENTO1096893, USNMENTO1088490, USNM-ENTO1088498).

Figures

Fig. 12. Afrotropical distribution of Clinopogon Bezzi, 1910. C. nicobarensis (Schiner, 1868) (), C. reginaldi (Séguy, 1955) ().