Empodiodes namibiensis Londt, 2012

Londt, Jason G. H., 2019, A revision of Empodiodes Oldroyd, 1972 with the descriptions of two new species from South Africa (Diptera, Asilidae, Stenopogoninae), African Invertebrates 60 (1), pp. 67-82 : 67

Empodiodes namibiensis Londt, 2012 Fig. 16

Empodiodes namibiensis Londt, 2012: 260-263 (figs 1 entire ♂, 2 head lateral, 3 metatarsus, 4 wing, 5-7 ♂ terminalia, 8 ♀ terminalia);

Material.

NAMIBIA: ♂ Holotype ' Namibia: Opuwa Dist. / 35km E Epupa: Kunene River / 17°03'31"S, 13°29'32"E / 09-11.x.1999 / Kirk-Spriggs Pape Hauwanga / Malaise trap shaded woodland’ NMSA-DIP 74281 ( NMSA); 3♂ 2♀ paratypes same date as holotype NMSA-DIP 74276-80, ( NMSA); 19♂ 6♀ paratypes same data as holotype (NMWN); 1♂ 1♀ ' Namibia : Opuwa District / Ekuja village : Kunene River / 17°19'30"S, 13°48'56"E / 11-12.x.1999 / Kirk-Spriggs Pape Hauwanga / ' Malaise traps, riverine forest’ (NMWN); 3♂ 1♀ ' Ondorusu Falls / SE 1713 Bb [17°23'01"S, 13°54'55"E] / Kaokoland / 23-26 Aug 1973 ', ‘H13834’ (NMWN); 3♂ ' Namibia: Khorixas Dist. / SE Sorris Sorris: Ugab River / 20°59'09"S, 14°47'32"E / 05-06.x.1999 / Kirk-Spriggs, Pape & / Hauwanga / Malaise trap sample’ (NMWN).

Distribution, phenology and biology.

Collected at four localities in northern Namibia (Fig. 16 ), mostly in the vicinity of the Kunene River, during the months of August and October (Table 1). The habitats have been described as 'shaded woodland’ and 'riverine forest’. Much of the material was collected in malaise traps, which is surprising as small, ground-dwelling asilids are not usually collected in significant numbers with such traps. The fact that over 30 specimens were collected in 3 days suggests that population numbers were high and, as only eight were female, it appears that males are more active fliers than females.

Figures

Figure 16. The distribution of Empodiodes species: E. greatheadi Oldroyd, 1972 (●), E. melanoscopaeus Londt, 1992 (○), E. namibiensis Londt, 2012 (■), E. pusillipes sp. nov. (□), E. torridus sp. nov. (▲), E. whittingtoni Londt, 1992 (♦) (Map Zamisa).