Rhabdogaster eremia, Londt, 2006

Londt, Jason G. H., 2006, A review of the Afrotropical genus Rhabdogaster Loew, 1858 with descriptions of new species (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae), African Invertebrates 47, pp. 243-313 : 254-255

Rhabdogaster eremia sp. n.

Figs 21–23

Etymology: From Greek eremia (wilderness, solitude). Refers to the remoteness of localities from which this species has been found.

Description: Based mainly on holotype ơ.

Head: Dark red-brown to black, gold-silver pruinose, white setose. Antenna dark redbrown to black, setae black. Face entirely pruinose. Mystax entirely white, occupying lower half of face. Frons and vertex entirely pruinose (ocellar tubercle only weakly so). Occiput entirely pruinose. Proboscis and palpi dark red-brown, setae white.

Thorax: Dark red-brown to black, silver and gold (mainly mesonotum) pruinose, white setose. Mesonotum extensively gold pruinose except for pair of anteromedial stripes, 2 large lateral spots either side of transverse suture, small areas on postpronotal lobes and postalar lobes as well as a small area anterior of postalar and another posterior of postpronotal lobe. Pleura entirely silver pruinose. Scutellum silver pruinose except for narrow hind margin, with 3 major sctl s accompanied by approx. 6 minor setae. Postmetacoxal bridge entirely silver pruinose. Legs: cx dark red-brown, silver pruinose, white setose; troc and fem dark red-brown (distal tips of fem narrowly orange-brown), white setose; tib dark red-brown with orange-brown proximal ends, predominantly white setose (a few black setae ventrodistally); tar dark red-brown, white and black setose. Wing 5.7 x 1.8 mm, veins brown, membrane transparent, unstained, microtrichia mainly restricted to distal half. Discal cell extensively microtrichose except for proximal part, costal cell lacking microtrichia except for a few at extreme distal end.

Abdomen: Dark red-brown to black, silver-gold pruinose, white setose. Tergites with narrow apruinose hind margins, setae small medially, longer laterally. Sternites entirely pruinose, setae moderately long. Terminalia ( Figs 21–23 Noachabib paratype): epand in lateral view gradually tapering to slightly downturned rounded tip; lobes broadly fused medially; hypd in lateral view of similar length as external lobe of goncx, slightly upcurved distally, with long subapical finger-like projection dorsally; broadly-rounded basally in ventral view, tapering in two stages to long mediodistal lobe with enlarged bilobed apex. External lobe of goncx slightly shorter than epand lobe, slightly upwards curved distally, tapering to a slightly downcurved rounded apex; well-sclerotised internal lobe with bilobed tip projecting beyond external lobe. Gonostyli in ventral view thick, slightly curved, with tiny dorsodistal projection.

Variation: A uniform species. The vertex may be partly apruinose (especially ocellar tubercle) in both sexes but particularly in females.

Holotype: ơ NAMIBIA: ‘ Namibia 22.iv.1983 / 48 km W of Windhoek / 2216 DA Stuckenberg / & Londt Thornveld in / dry river valley’.

Paratypes: NAMIBIA: 1^same data as holotype; 2ơ 1^‘ Karasberge [2818BD], S.W.A. / Farm Noachabib / 8–10.iv.1972 / Jones & Strydom’ .

Distribution, phenology and biology (Tables 1, 2): Recorded only from two localities in southern Namibia. Collected in April.

Similar species: R. pedion sp. n., quasinuda sp. n., rustica .

Figures

Figs 18–30. Rhabdogaster species, male terminalia: (18–20) R. cuthbertsoni sp. n., Salisbury holotype: (18) lateral, (19) dorsal, (20) ventral; (21–23) R. eremia sp. n., Noachabib paratype: (21) lateral, (22) dorsal, (23). ventral; (24–26) R. etheira sp. n., Port Nolloth paratype:(24) lateral, (25) dorsal, (26) ventral; (27–30) R. flavida (Lindner, 1973), Ongeama holotype: (27) lateral, (28) dorsal, (29) ventral, (30) hypandrium ‘flatter’ view. Scale bars = 1 mm.