Daspletis species

Londt, Jason G. H., 2010, A review of Daspletis Loew, 1858 with the addition of a remarkable South African species (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae), African Invertebrates 51 (1), pp. 183-183 : 196-197

Key to Daspletis species

While this key allows for the identification of both males and females it must be noted that identification of males may require detailed examination of terminalia. Females that are not directly associated with males are sometimes difficult to identify with any certainty.

1 Male ..................................................................................................................... 2

– Female ................................................................................................................. 9

2 Dorsal occipital macrosetae short, slightly curved and proclinate; abdominal T3 lacking macrosetae along posterior margins (with small setae only); abdominal segments slender (T3 longer than broad in dorsal view) ( hermanni species group) ........................... 3

– Dorsal occipital macrosetae long, wavy and not obviously proclinate; abdominal T3 with macrosetae along posterior margins; abdominal segments not particularly slender (T3 shorter than broad in dorsal view) ( vulpes species group) ............................... 6

3 Mystax yellow; cell r 5 open, closed on wing margin or closed with short stalk; laterally situated mesonotal macrosetae predominantly yellowish ........................... 4

– Mystax dark red-brown to black; cell r 5 closed and stalked; laterally situated mesonotal macrosetae predominantly dark red-brown to black .................................. 5

4 Dorsocentral macrosetae predominantly yellow; r 5 widely open, wing membrane transparent, unstained; pulvilli reduced (approx. half the length of claws); genitalia as in figs 19–21 ( Londt 1983) .............................. setithoracicus ( Ricardo, 1925)

– Dorsocentral macrosetae predominantly dark red-brown to black; r 5 narrowly open, closed on wing margin or closed with short stalk, wing membrane brown stained; pulvilli not reduced (approx. three-quarters the length of claws); genitalia as in figs 8–10 ( Londt 1983) ...................................................... hermanni ( Ricardo, 1925)

5 Antennal postpedicel yellowish; metathoracic femur bicoloured (brown-orange dorsally and dark red-brown to black ventrally); antepronotal macrosetae entirely black; genitalia as in figs 1–3 (Londt 1985) ............................ lykos Londt, 1985

– Antennal postpedicel dark red-brown to black; metathoracic femur uniformly dark red-brown to black; antepronotal macrosetae predominantly pale yellowish, but some black; genitalia as in Figs 5–7 ............................ vespertilio ( Engel, 1932)

6 Metathoracic femora fairly uniformly dark red-brown to black (proximal and distal tips may be slightly orange-brown) ..................................................................... 7

– Metathoracic femora bicoloured orange-brown ventrally and dark red-brown to black dorsally ....................................................................................................... 8

7 Antennae uniformly yellow-orange; genitalia as in figs 22–24 ( Londt 1983)....... ........................................................................................... stenoura Londt, 1983

– Antennal scape and pedicel dark red-brown postpedicel yellow-orange; genitalia as in figs 16–18 ( Londt 1983) ............................................ placodes Londt, 1983

8 Antennae uniformly yellow-orange; general setation usually pale yellowish; genitalia as in figs 13–15 ( Londt 1983) ............................................. hirtus Ricardo, 1925

– Antennal scape and pedicel dark red-brown postpedicel yellow-orange; general setation commonly bright orange; genitalia as in figs 25–27 ( Londt 1983) ............. ................................................................................................ vulpes Loew, 1858

9 Dorsal occipital macrosetae short, slightly curved and proclinate; abdominal tergum 3 lacking macrosetae along posterior margins (equipped with small setae only) ( hermanni species group) .................................................................................. 10

– Dorsal occipital macrosetae long, wavy and not obviously proclinate; abdominal T3 with macrosetae along posterior margins ( vulpes species group) ................ 12

10 Cell r 5 widely open; pulvilli reduced (approx. half the length of claws) ............... ............................................................................ setithoracicus ( Ricardo, 1925)

– Cell r 5 narrowly open, closed on wing margin or closed with short stalk; pulvilli not reduced (approx. three-quarters the length of claws) .................................. 11

11 Metathoracic femora uniformly dark red-brown to black ..................................... ...................................................................................... vespertilio ( Engel, 1932)

– Metathoracic femora bicoloured, orange-brown and dark red-brown to black ..... ..................................................... hermanni ( Ricardo, 1925) , lykos Londt, 1985

12 Abdominal T4 with setulae pointing anteriorly (a few on anterior margin may be differently orientated) ......................................................... hirtus Ricardo, 1925

– Abdominal T4 with setulae pointing in all directions ....................................... 13

13 Anterior faces of femora predominantly dark red-brown to black ........................ ................................................................................................ vulpes Loew, 1858

– Anterior faces of femora predominantly yellowish ........................................... 14

14 Antennae uniformly yellow-orange ................................... stenoura Londt, 1983

– Antennal scape and pedicel darker in colour than postpedicel .............................. ............................................................................................ placodes Londt, 1983

Figures

Figs 5–10. Daspletis vespertilio (Engel, 1932) terminalia: (5–7) male, preserved in ethanol: (5) lateral, (6) dorsal, (7) ventral; (8–10) female:(8) dorsal, (9) ventral, (10) spermathecal reservoir.Scale = 1 mm.