Philoliche (Philoliche) aethiopica ( Thunberg, 1789 )

Morita, Shelah, 2008, A revision of the Philoliche aethiopica species complex (Diptera: Tabanidae), African Invertebrates 49 (1), pp. 129-158 : 136-142

Philoliche (Philoliche) aethiopica ( Thunberg, 1789)

Figs 3a , 5a , 6 , 7

Tabanus aethiopicus Thunberg, 1789: 91 . Cape of Good Hope [ South Africa] (UZIU).

Type series redesignated as type series for Tanyglossa aethiopica by Thunberg 1827.

Tanyglossa aethiopica (Thunberg) : Thunberg 1827: 65, 67, table 1, fig. 6. Cape of Good Hope [ South Africa] ( UZIU) .

Pangonia (Philoliche) varicolor Wiedemann, 1828: 98 . Cape [ South Africa] (ZMHB). Syn. by Surcouf 1921: 133. Accepted here.

Pangonia appendiculata Macquart, 1837 [1838]: 430, 434 [1838: 101 (97)]. The Cape [ South Africa] (MNHN). Syn. by Austen 1920: 139. Accepted here, type missing from MNHN.

Diatomineura (Corizoneura) appendiculata (Macquart) : Rondani 1864: 85.

Mycteromyia ensata Bigot, 1892: 608 . Cape of Good Hope [ South Africa]. Syn. by Oldroyd 1957: 337. Accepted here, type depository unknown—not in BMNH, MNHN or OXUM.

Diatomineura (Corizoneura) varicolor (Wiedemann) : Ricardo 1900: 110.

Corizoneura aethiopica (Thunberg) : Austen 1920: 139.

Pangonius varicolor (Wiedemann) : Surcouf 1921: 129. [Lapsus]

Siridorhina aethiopica (Thunberg) : Enderlein 1925: 265.

Nuceria aethiopica (Thunberg) : Bequaert 1930: 887.

Philoliche (Philoliche) aethiopica ssp. aethiopica (Thunberg) : Oldroyd 1957: 337.

Philoliche (Philoliche) aethiopica (Thunberg) : Dias 1966: 1176.

Diagnosis: P. aethiopica is distinguished from all species in the rondani species group as follows: ♂ eye facets of similar size, longer lappets with the dorsal process of tarsus 2 extending beyond proximal margin of tarsus 4; ♀index of frons divergence greater than 2.1 ( Fig. 3 ). P. aethiopica differs from P. formosa by lacking distinct, narrow, grey sublateral stripes on the scutum.

Redescription:

Female.

Head: Eyes dichoptic; facets of similar size throughout. Frons strongly divergent towards antennae, eye margin with slightly angular curve; covered with yellow or golden pruinescence (pollinosity); slightly convex. Face conically produced forward a distance just greater than sagittal depth of eye. Antennae with first two segments brown or redbrown with black hairs; flagellum dark orange-brown to bright orange, sometimes with dark apex. Palps slender; distal segment wider with black hairs and tapering to a point just after a sensory groove. Proboscis equal to or almost twice body length.

Thorax: Mesonotum dark brown with faint or absent sublateral stripes; if sublateral stripes are distinct, they are not narrow and grey, but instead, broad and brown or brownish red. Supra-alar areas of scutum sharply contrasting with white-grey pruinescence beginning at postpronotal lobes and ending at post-alar calli. Pleura light grey with numerous white to yellow hairs.

Wings: Slightly smoky, becoming clearer posteriorly; darkened slightly at cross-veins. Fifth radial cell usually open although closed at margin, or even closed and stalked in some specimens; third medial cell always open.

Legs: Coxae grey, paler dorsally and with white hairs; trochanters black; femora orangish red. Tibia of foreleg and midleg paler dorsally than femora; returning to colour of femora distally. Hind tibia same colour as femora, but with black hairs dorsally, so appearing darker. Tarsi concolourous with tibia of same leg. Tarsomeres 3–5 with black hairs on foreleg; tarsomeres 2–4 and tip of tarsomere 1 with black hairs on mid and hind legs.

Abdomen: Bright reddish orange dorsally with black medial spot on segments 1 and 2; segments 3 and 4 also darkened medially. Central posterior margin of segment 2 sometimes with white or yellow hairs. Posterior margin of segment 4 with dark hairs interrupted medially with white hairs forming a spot, or entirely white or black haired. Posterolateral margin of segments 3–7 with tufts of black or white hairs as follows: 3 – black, 4 – white, 5 – black, 6 – white, 7 – white.

Male as female except:

Head: Eyes holoptic; facets of similar size throughout. Frons small and triangular, pruinescent, covered with long, silky yellow, golden or white hairs; eye margins beginning to diverge a distance from vertex similar to length of first two segments of antennae. Face conically produced, but not as prominent as in female, clypeus highly reduced.Palps reduced compared to female.Clypeus reduced to frontoclypeal membrane.

Thorax: Mesonotum with longer, more dense, golden or yellow hairs.

Legs: Distally projecting dorsal process on tarsomeres 1 and 2 (lappet). Lappet of tarsomere 2 extending beyond proximal margin of tarsomere 4.

Abdomen: Narrower and often more brightly coloured.

Variation: This species is divisible into three morphotypes that overlap in distribution ( Fig. 6 ) and differ distinctly in proboscis length ( Fig. 7 ). The Albany form is larger and consistently has a spot of white hairs in the center of the hind margin of the fourth segment of the abdomen ( Fig. 5a ). The Natal form is slightly smaller and may have a white fringe along the entire hind margin of the fourth segment of the abdomen, or a spot (like the Albany form) or no white hairs at all. The Zimbabwe form is similar in size to P. rondani , and consistently has a white fringe along the entire hind margin of the fourth abdominal segment.

Type material examined:

Tabanus aethiopicus Thunberg. Syntypes: 2♀“ Cape ” [ South Africa: without precise locality], [C. Thunberg], Thunbergsaml., #22082, #28315 ( UZIU).

Pangonia (Philoliche) varicolor Wiedemann. Syntype: 1♀“ Pr. b. sp. ” [= Cape of Good Hope , South Africa], M.H.K. Lichtenstein, #321 ( ZMHB).

Additional material examined:

Albany form

SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: 1♀George (33°48'S: 22°27'E), 10.ii.1913, Dr Brauns ( NMSA) ; 1 ♂ Robinson Pass Mossel Bay (33°54' S: 22°01' E), 30.ix.1921, Dr Brauns ( NMSA) ; Seweweekspoort (33°24' S: 21°25' E), G. van Son: 1♀1 ♂ 17.xi.1940 ( NMSA) ; 2 ♂ 30.x.1941 ( NMSA) ; Willowmore (33°18' S: 23°29' E): Dr Brauns: 1 ♂ 15.x.1920 ( NMSA) ; 1♀11.xi.1920 ( NMSA) ; 1♀1.xi.1921 ( NMSA) ; 1♀2 ♂ xi.1922 ( NMSA) ; 4 ♂ 1–7.x.1923 ( NMSA) ; 1♀1 ♂ [no date] ( NMSA); G. Kobrow: 1 ♂ [no date] ( NMSA) ; collector unknown: 1 ♂ 1♀11.xi.1920 ( NMNH, det. as varicolor by Krober 1921); 1♀15.xi ( NMSA) . Eastern Cape: Grahamstown (33°18' S: 26°32' E): 4♀1 ♂ 11–18.xi.1958, C. J.-Guillarmod; 1 ♂ 10.xii.1960, E. McCallan; 1♀2.iv.1957, F. Lock; 1♀22.x.1969, J.G.H. Londt; 1♀iv.1954, K. Norval (all NMSA) ; 1♀12 mi. NW of Grahamstown , 21.xi.1970, H.V., B.B. and D.D. Daly ( CASC, det. as aethiopica by Chainey 1987); 1 ♂ Faraway Found, 10 km W Grahamstown (33°17' S: 26°22' E), 6.xii.1976, R.M. Miller ( NMSA); 1♀“ Albany [Dist.] ” [nr. Grahamstown], 3.x.1952, N.J. Myers ( UCDC, det. as aethiopica by Oldroyd 1956); Hamburg (33°18' S: 27°28' E): 1♀1 ♂ 3.xii.1956, P.E. Hulley ( NMSA); 2♀1.i.1959, P.E. Hulley ( NMSA); 2♀Kenton On The Sea (33°41' S: 26°40' E), 21.xi.1970, J.G.H. Londt ( NMSA); 1♀Kleinmond (34°21' S: 19°02' E), ii.1957, J. Bradish ( NMSA); 1♀1 ♂ Koega Reserve Nursery, 30 km N of Port Elizabeth (33°43' S: 25°41' E), 30.x.2003, C. Peter ( SMPC); 1 ♂ Kowie (33°36' S: 26°54' E), 28.x.1919, H.E.I. ( NMSA); 1♀Kwelera R. mouth (28°55' S: 28°03' E), 31.xii.1995, C. Peter ( NMSA); 1 ♂ Oldenburgia Trail (33°20' S: 26°30' E), 1.xii.2003, C. Peter ( SMPC); 1♀Otto du Plessis Pass (31°15' S: 28°00' E), 26.xii.1999, S.D. Johnson ( NMSA); 1 ♂ Port Alfred (33°36' S: 26°54' E), 7.ii.1955, F.J. Junor ( NMSA); 1♀same locality, 20.xii.1956, PE Hulley ( NMSA); Port Elizabeth (33°58' S: 25°35' E): 1♀i.1950, B. Stuckenberg ( NMSA); 1 ♂ 16.xi.1953, J.S. Taylor ( NMSA); 1 ♂ 24.xi.1960, J.S. Taylor ( NMSA); 1 ♂ 24.vii.1943, M.F.Todd ( NMSA); 1 ♂ 10.i.1954, Y.Clark ( NMSA); 1♀2 ♂ Port Elizabeth, Zwartkops (33°52' S: 25°36' E), 25.xi.1921, Dr Brauns ( NMSA); 3♀R 102 E of Jeffery’s Bay (33°54' S: 25°02' E), 9.ii.2004, S.I. Morita ( SMPC); 4 ♂ R102 nr Gamtoos R. mouth (34°00' S: 24°55' E), 9.ii.2004, S.I. Morita ( SMPC); 1♀R 67 nr Bathurst (33°33' S: 26°60' E), 18.ii.2004, S.I. Morita ( SMPC); 1♀road to Glen Craig Farm at Bosberg (32°41' S: 25°40' E), 6.ii.2004, S.I. Morita ( SMPC); Resolution (33°10' S: 26°43' E): 2♀17 – 20.xi.1928, A. Walton ( NMSA); 1♀21.i.1929, A. Walton ( NMSA); 1♀Trappes Valley (33°27' S: 26°54' E), xi.1924, H. Cronwright ( NMSA); 1♀Van Stadens Pass (33°55' S: 25°12' E), 1.i.1924, Dr Brauns ( NMSA); 3♀1 ♂ Van Stadens Pass (33°54' S: 25°12' E), 2– 8.ii.2004, S.I. Morita ( SMPC); 1♀Van Stadens R. Mts (33°58' S: 25°13' E), 1.i.1980, J.G.H. Londt ( NMSA). Free State: 2 ♂ Welbedacht (29°08' S: 25°49' E), xi.1940, G. van Son ( NMSA). Mpumalanga: 1♀Gladdespruit R. Headwaters at Kaapsehoop (25°31' S: 30°51' E), 3.xi.1970, Stuckenberg ( NMSA). KwaZulu-Natal: 1♀Amatikulu (29°08' S: 31°35' E), 20.xi.2001, C. Peter ( NMSA); 1♀Eshowe (28°53' S: 31°28' E), xii ( NMSA); Ladismith (33°29' S: 21°16' E): 1♀2 ♂ 5.x.1912, Dr Brauns ( NMSA); 1♀3 ♂ Dr Brauns, 15.ix.1923 ( NMSA); 2♀1 ♂ 15.xii.1923, Dr Brauns ( NMSA); 1♀xi.1943, C. J.-Guillarmod ( CASC, det. as aethiopica by Oldroyd 1972: labelled “ c.f. appendiculata ”); 1♀Port Shepstone (30°45' S: 30°27' E), ix.1919, H.K. Munro ( NMSA).

Natal form

LESOTHO: 1♀Bushmans Pass, Maloti Mts (29°26'S: 27°51'E), 8.i.1963, B. & P. Stuckenberg ( NMSA) ; 1♀Mahlatsa (29°13' S: 27°59' E), 1.i.1953, C. Jacot-Guillarmod ( NMSA) . SOUTH AFRICA: Limpopo: 4♀1 ♂ Hoenertsburg , 14.ii.1938, G.v. Son ( NMSA) . Eastern Cape: 1♀Dangerhoek on Telle R. 35 km E Sterkspruit (30°32' S: 27°40' E), 10.i.1979, J.G.H. Londt & B. Stuckenberg ( NMSA) ; 1 ♂ East London (33°02' S: 27°55' E), 14.ii.1922, H.K. Munro ( NMSA) ; 1♀2 ♂ same data but 21–29.xii.1924 ( NMSA) ; 3♀Hogsback (32°35' S: 27°05' E), 26–28.xii.1952, J.S. Taylor ( NMSA) ; 1♀Kleinmonde (34°21' S: 19°02' E), i.1955, OmerCooper ( NMSA) ; 2 ♂ Port Elizabeth (33°58' S: 25°35' E) [no date, collector unknown] ( NMSA) ; 1 ♂ Port St Johns (31°37' S: 29°33' E), 20.xi.1961, B. Stuckenberg ( NMSA) ; 1♀Qxulu R. (33°05' S: 27°43' E), 15.xii.1970, J.G.H. Londt ( NMSA) ; 1♀R 67 nr Bathurst (33°33' S: 26°60' E), 18.ii.2004, S.I. Morita ( SMPC) ; 1 ♂ Umzimkulu (30°16' S: 29°56' E), 19.xii ( NMSA) . Mpumalanga: 1♀Barberton, Lomati R. Headwaters , Havelock Rd (25°51' S: 31°11' E), 7.xi.1970, Stuckenberg ( NMSA) ; 3♀1 ♂ Gladdespruit R. Headwaters at Kaapsehoop (25°31' S: 30°51' E), 3.xi.1970, Stuckenberg ( NMSA) ; 1♀1 ♂ Kastrol Nek (27°17' S: 30°17' E), i.1922, G.v. Dam ( NMSA) ; 2 ♂ Mariepskop (24°32' S: 30°52' E), G.v. Son, i.1926 ( NMSA) ; 5♀8 km W of Luneberg (27°19' S: 30°35' E), 15.xii.1971, T.B. Oatley ( NMSA) ; 1♀RSA side of Josefsdal (25°56.5' S: 31°06' E), 9.iii.2004, S.I. Morita ( SMPC) . KwaZulu-Natal: 1♀Cathedral Peak Area (29°02' S: 29°15' E), 24.i.1990, I. Pajor ( NMSA) ; 3 ♂ nr Giant’s Castle (29°12' S: 29°35' E), 28.xii.2002 – 2.i.2003, S.I. Morita ( SMPC) ; 1♀3 ♂ Sani Pass Rd (29°37' S: 29°22' E), 13.i.2003, S.I. Morita ( SMPC) ; 2 ♂ “ Nat. Pk ” [ Drakensberg ?], 10.i.1951 ( NMSA) ; 4 ♂ nr Underberg (29°51' S: 29°45' E), 18.i.2003, S.I. Morita ( SMPC) ; 1♀NE of Underberg , B.C. Anderson ( SMPC) ; 1 ♂ Eshowe, Dhlinza Forest Nat. Res. (28°53' S: 31°28' E), 20.xi.1978, J.G.H. Londt ( NMSA) ; 1♀Eshowe, Entumeni Nat. Res. (28°51' S: 31°19' E), 7.xii.1977, J.G.H. Londt ( NMSA) ; 1 ♂ Giants Castle Game Reserve (29°14' S: 29°29' E), ii.1962, K. Tinley ( NMSA) ; 1 ♂ Hilton (29°26' S: 30°06' E), 7.i.2003, S.I. Morita ( SMPC) ; 1 ♂ Hilton Rd (29°33' S: 30°18' E), i.1954, P. Graham ( NMSA) ; 11♀Karkloof range nr Mt Alida (29°11' S: 30°22' E), 24.xii.1961, B. & P. Stuckenberg ( NMSA) ; 2♀Shaw Farm, Karkloof (29°18' S: 30°19' E), 21.xii.2002, S.I. Morita ( SMPC) ; 2 ♂ Karkloof falls (29°42' S: 30°16' E), 6.xi.1960, T. Schofield ( NMSA) ; 1♀Merrivale Heights, xii ( NMSA) ; 2♀4 ♂ Mt Gilboa (29°17' S: 30°17.5' E), 5.i.2003, S.I. Morita ( SMPC) ; 1♀Ketelfontein (29°34' S: 30°19' E), xi.1969, T.B. Oatley ( NMSA) ; 1 ♂ 2 mi. ESE of Grahamstown , 26.xi.1970, H.V. Daly & F. Farguharson ( CASC, det. as aethiopica by Chainey, 1987) ; 1♀Pietermaritzburg (29°37' S: 30°23' E), 21.xii.1917, Hardenberg ( NMSA) ; 1♀1 ♂ Tongaat (29°35' S: 31°08' E), H.C. Burnup ( NMSA) ; 1♀Roselands Farm E of Richmond (29°55' S: 30°09.5' E), 29.ii.2004, S.I. Morita ( SMPC) ; 1 ♂ Park Rynie , x.1951, A.J. Duke ( CASC, det. as rondani by Philp, 1962) ; 1♀Scottburgh (30°17' S: 30°45' E), 15.xi.1963, B. & P. Stuckenberg ( NMSA) ; 1♀Lovedale Lookout, Weza Forest (30°40' S: 29°39.5' E), 28.ii.2004, S.I. Morita ( SMPC) ; 17♀1 ♂ Umtamvuna Nat. Res. (31°03.5' S: 30°10.5' E), 11–18.xi.2000, S. van Noort ( SAMC) ; 1♀Umtamvuna Nat. Res. (31°00' S: 30°10' E), 26.ii.2004, S.I. Morita ( SMPC) ; 1♀Bizana, 1912, J.B. Goodall ( CASC) ; 1♀“ Natal ”, J.F. Quekett ( CASC, det. as aethiopica by Austen 1934: labelled “genotype species”) . SWAZILAND: 1♀Ntabambomvu Hills, Piggs Peak Rd (26°07'S: 31°10'E), 26.ii.1971, B. & P. Stuckenberg ( NMSA) .

Zimbabwe form

ZIMBABWE: Manicaland: “Umtali [Mutare] District”, P.A. Sheppard: 1♀3♂ 5–26.x.1930, 2♀3♂ 23.ix– 1.xi.1931, 1♀12.x.1932; 1♀3♂ N Vumba Mts (19°05' S: 32°45' E), 13–27.ix.1965, D.M. Cookson ( NMSA); Laurenceville (19°05' S: 32°40' E), D.M. Cookson: 4♀1♂ 24.ix–5.x.1962, 6♀1♂ 18.ix–1.x.1963, 3♀8♂ 23.ix– 12.x.1964; 1♀Chirinda Forest (20°05' S: 31°28' E), 1926, Zimbabwe Museum Exp. (all NMSA). SOUTH AFRICA: Limpopo: 1♀Hoedspruit 30 km SE (24°30'S: 31°11'E), 30.ix.1978, D. Brothers & J. Guillarmod ( NMSA). Gauteng: 1♀Pretoria (25°42' S: 28°13' E), 13.x.1914, H.K. Munro ( NMSA) .

Distribution: South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia ( Fig. 6 ). The Albany form occurs in South Africa from the Eastern Cape, with older records from the Cape Fold Mountains of the Western Cape. The Natal form occurs from southern Mozambique and Zimbabwe down to the eastern edge of the Albany Centre in the Eastern Cape. The Zimbabwe form occurs from Gauteng Prov., South Africa, and north and east along the mountains into Zimbabwe.A record of this species from Tanzania is extremely unlikely based on the distribution of other collections and the ambiguity of the identification as stated by the author ( Johnson 1898: 157).

Remarks: There are three recognised junior synonyms of P. aethiopica : Pangonia varicolor , Pangonia appendiculata , and Mycteromyia ensata . Thunberg (1789) first described aethiopica under Tabanus L., 1758, and subsequently redescribed it in the genus Tanyglossa Meigen, 1804 (Thunberg 1827) . It appears that Thunberg re-labelled the Tabanus aethiopicus type specimens and types of Tanyglossa aethiopica , such that the types for each description are identical and are no longer labelled as Tabanus aethiopicus . Tanyglossa was found later to be a junior synonym of Pangonius Latreille, 1802 , the history of which is confounded by its misspelling as Pangonia by Latreille in 1804 ( Sabrosky 1999). Both Pa. varicolor and Pa. appendiculata were originally described in Pangonia . Subsequently, Rondani (1864) divided Pangonia into two genera, each with two subgenera as follows: Pangonia ( Pangonia Latreille ), Pangonia ( Erephrosis Rondani ), Diatomineura ( Diatomineura Rondani ), and Diatomineura ( Corizoneura Rondani ); with most African species, including Pa. varicolor and Pa. appendiculata , falling into Pa. ( Pangonia ) and D. ( Corizoneura ). Ricardo (1900) followed Rondani’s rubric in her description of D. (C.) umbratipennis , which was later incorrectly synonymised under Ph. aethiopica by Oldroyd (1957). However, Ricardo (1900) was uncertain as to where to place Mycteromyia Philippi, 1865 , which included M. ensata as described by Bigot (1892); therefore the affiliation of African Mycteromyia with other African pangoniines was not recognised until Oldroyd (1957).After Diatomineura was synonymised by Brethes (1914) with Osca Walker, 1850 , Austen (1920) raised the subgenus D. ( Corizoneura ) to generic status and divided it into Corizoneura and a new genus, Buplex Austen, 1920 . At the same time, he synonymised D. (C.) appendiculata under C. aethiopica . One year later, Surcouf (1921) also synonymised Pa. varicolor with C. aethiopica , although in the same volume he also incorrectly listed Pa. varicolor as a valid species under Pangonius . Enderlein (1925) reclassified C. aethiopica under his new genus Siridorhina Enderlein , selecting Pangonia longirostris Hardwicke, 1823 , as type species for the genus. He also dealt with Pangonius and Pangonia by dividing it into Pangonius Latreille, 1802 (which he restricted to Palaearctic species) and Nuceria Enderlein, 1925 (for the remaining, African species). For Nuceria , he chose the type Tabanus rostratus L., 1764. Unfortunately, he failed to take into account Coquillett’s (1910) designation of types. As pointed out by Bequaert (1930), Coquillett’s type selection makes Siridorhina a junior synonym of Nuceria Walker, 1850 , and its junior homonym, Nuceria Enderlein, 1925 , a junior synonym of Philoliche Wiedemann, 1820 . This caused Bequaert (1930) to classify S. aethiopica as Nuceria Walker and the African species of Pangonia as Philoliche .

When Oldroyd (1957) transferred all of the Afrotropical species of Philolichini to Philoliche based on the placement of oldest type, Tabanus rostratus , he made Nuceria Walker a junior synonym of Philoliche , and placed Nuceria aethiopica under the subgenus Philoliche (Philoliche) . Additionally, Oldroyd (1957) made P. (P.) rondani a subspecies of P. (P.) aethiopica . While doing so, he synonymised Mycteromyia ensata and Corizoneura umbratipennis with Philoliche (P.) aethiopica ssp. aethiopica , and Pangonia rondani and Diatomineura (Corizoneura) pallidipennis under P. (P.) aethipoica ssp. rondani . Following Oldroyd’s (1957) division, when Dias (1966) restored P. (P.) rondani to species status (see below) he left C. umbratipennis in synonymy with P. aethiopica . This paper shows that the suite of male characters in C. umbratipennis (Ricardo) places it within the rondani species group, rejecting its synonymy with P. aethiopica .

Figures

Fig. 3. Frons divergence in females of (a) P. rondani and (b) P. aethiopica. The index of frons divergence is the ratio of the width of the frons at the clypeal suture (cs) to the width of the frons at the vertex (v). Note also that most P. aethiopica also have an obtuse angle in the inner eye margin (ea), though this is variable.

Fig. 5. (a) Morphotypes of Philoliche aethiopica. From left to right: Philoliche aethiopica Natal (female and male), P. aethiopica Albany (female and male). Note that the Natal form pictured here has a white stripe formed by a continuous fringe of white hairs on the posterior margin of the fourth abdominal segment. (b) Females of the rondani species group. From left to right: Philoliche umbratipennis stat. rev., P. rondani, P. rubiginosa, and P. elegans.

Fig. 6. Distribution of Philoliche aethiopica forms over South African provinces (GP – Gauteng, MPU – Mpumalanga) and in neighbouring countries (SW – Swaziland). Note that Albany and Natal forms overlap in distribution in the Eastern Cape and along the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal. Collections from Willowmore and those in the Western Cape Province are doubtful. Most of these specimens were collected by Dr Brauns (in particular, those from Willowmore) and probably did not come from the stated localities.

Fig. 7. Map showing geographic and taxonomic variation in proboscis length for forms of Philoliche aethiopica. Circle diameter is proportional to the proboscis length of the individual specimen collected at that site. Colours indicate the different morphotypes. Note the overlap in distribution of the forms. Collections from Willowmore and those in the Western Cape Province are doubtful. Most of these specimens were collected by Dr Brauns (in particular, those from Willowmore) and are unlikely to have come from the stated localities.