Rhabdogaster glabra, 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 : 257-258

Rhabdogaster glabra sp. n.

Figs 31–33

Etymology: From Latin glaber (hairless, bald, smooth). Refers to the generally smooth, hairless appearance of this species.

Description: Based on holotype ơ.

Head: Dark red-brown, silver-gold pruinose, pale yellow setose. Antenna: Scape and pedicel brown-yellow, postpedicel and style brown, setae weakly black. Face entirely pruinose. Mystax pale yellow, composed of approx. 10 setae occupying lower facial margin. Frons and vertex entirely pruinose (including ocellar tubercle), minutely pale yellow setose. Occiput entirely pruinose. Proboscis and palpi orange-brown, setae fine pale-yellow.

Thorax: Red-brown, silver-gold pruinose, pale-yellow setose. Mesonotum extensively pruinose except for narrow pair of anteromedial stripes, small spots on postpronotal and postalar lobes, small spots laterally (one anterior of transverse suture, two postsuture), apart from moderately developed notopleurals (1 or 2), supraalars (1), and a pair of dorsocentrals (posteriorly) all setae insignificant. Pleura almost entirely pruinose (there is a tiny apruinose spot on katepisternum). Scutellum entirely pruinose with 4 sctl s accompanied by a few minor setae. Postmetacoxal bridge entirely silver-gold pruinose. Legs: cx orange-brown, silver-gold pruinose, weakly white setose; troc, fem, tib and tar orange; fem and tib predominantly white setose (a few black setae ventrodistally on tib), tar mainly black setose. Wing 6.7 x 2.0 mm, veins brown-yellow, membrane transparent, unstained, extensively microtrichose (except for some proximal parts). Discal cell entirely microtrichose, costal cell lacking microtrichia except for a few distally.

Abdomen: Dark red-brown, entirely silver-gold pruinose, pale yellow-white setose (short except for a few laterally on tergites). Terminalia ( Figs 31–33 ): epand in lateral view shorter than external lobe of goncx and of similar length to hypd, gradually tapering to fairly acutely-pointed tips; lobes separated medially but touching basally; hypd in lateral view about same length as epand, almost straight with slightly upcurved apex; broadlyrounded basally in ventral view, tapering to fairly acutely-pointed apex. External lobe of goncx well-developed, projecting beyond levels achieved by epand and hypd, terminating in a broadly-rounded apex; well-sclerotised internal lobes projecting beyond external lobes, with narrowly-rounded epices. Gonostyli in ventral view slender, slightly curved, projecting to level attained by inner lobe of goncx.

Holotype: ơ NAMIBIA: ‘ Namibia 18.iv.1983 / 5 km S Windhoek 2217CA / Londt & Stuckenberg / Mixed Thornveld.

Paratypes: NAMIBIA: 1^‘ Namibia 22.iv.1983 / 48 km W of Windhoek / 2216 DA Stuckenberg / & Londt Thornveld in / dry river valley’; 1^same data as holotype.

Distribution, phenology and biology (Tables 1, 2): Known only from two localities in the central region of Namibia. Collected in April.

Similar species: R. zilla sp. n.

Figures

Figs 31–42. Rhabdogaster species, male terminalia: (31–33) R. glabra sp. n., Windhoek holotype: (31) lateral, (32) dorsal, (33) ventral; (34–39) R. gracilis (Engel & Cuthbertson, 1937): (34–36) Trelawney holotype: (34) lateral, (35) dorsal, (36) ventral; (37, 38) Bakubung: (37) lateral, (38) ventral; (39) Mkomazi: lateral; (40–42) R. kalyptos sp. n., Grootfontein paratype: (40) lateral, (41) dorsal, (42) ventral. Scale bars = 1 mm.