Gonioscelis batyleon, Londt, 2004

Londt, Jason G. H., 2004, A review of the afrotropical genus Gonioscelis Schiner, 1866 (Diptera: Asilidae), with descriptions of new species, African Invertebrates 45, pp. 21-124 : 33-34

Gonioscelis batyleon sp. n.

Figs 21–23 , 144

Etymology: Gr. batyle – dwarf (female) + leon – lion. Refers to the small size of this tawny predator.

Description: Based primarily on holotype ơ (BMNH).

Head:Antennal scape brown-orange, pedicel orange-brown, postpedicel dark red-brown, setae mostly yellow except for some dark red-brown ones ventrally. Facial swelling poorly developed, mystax uniform pale yellow-white, weaker between gibbosity and antennal sockets. Frons and vertex thinly silver pruinose. Ocellar tubercle apruinose with dark red-brown oc. Occiput dark red-brown, gold-silver pruinose except for two apruinose areas behind vertex, setae pale yellow-white. Proboscis and palpus orangebrown, pale yellow-white setose.

Thorax: Brown-orange with dark red-brown markings, thinly silver-gold pruinose. Mesonotum with three longitudinal thinly pruinose stripes, central one being longest. Postpronotal lobes brown-orange, not contrasting with adjacent mesonotum, with few pale yellow-white setae. Mesonotal setae mostly pale yellow-white: ac not evident; approx. 6 pairs dc dark red-brown anteriorly, just extending anterior of transverse suture; 3 npl (most anterior brown); 2 sa; 2–3 pa. Scutellum brown-orange, with 2 pale yellowwhite mrg sct. Wing length 6.1 mm (paratype 5.4 mm), membrane mostly yellowbrown. Legs: Mostly brown-orange except for much of anterior surface of prothoracic femur and anteroventral aspects of mesothoracic femur which are dark red-brown, macro setae dark red-brown, minor setae pale yellow-white. Prothoracic coxa brown-orange, silver-gold pruinose, white setose; femoral spur bluntly pointed (angle approx. 60°).

Abdomen: Tergites orange-brown to brown-orange (anterior tergites darker than posterior ones), gold-silver pruinose, fine yellow-white setose. Sternites brown-orange, thinly gold-silver pruinose, fine yellow-white setose.

Terminalia ( Figs 21–23 ): Long ep (i.e. lobes project beyond tip of proctiger), tapering gradually distally, with a few strong terminal macrosetae; gcx with two inwardly directed distal projections and fine setae; hyp in ventral view slightly longer than broad, tapering rapidly to mid-length before broadening slightly and terminating in a pair of macrosetose lobes separated by a space approximately equal to width of each lobe.

Variation: Little evident. Female unknown.

Type material: KENYA: 2 ơ (holotype and paratype), ‘ Meneghetti / 2-1943 / Nairobi [01°17'S 36°49'E]’, ‘Pres. by / Coryndon Mus. / B.M. 1961-696’ ( BMNH) .

Type locality: Kenya: Nairobi .

Distribution, phenology and biology (Tables 1–2, Fig. 144 ): Known only from the type locality, both specimens being collected in February.

Similar species:A member of the large and widely distributed group of species possessing a poorly defined facial gibbosity.Although sharing a similar hypandrial shape to species like feijeni , hadrocantha and whittingtoni , batyleon can be readily distinguished from these and other supercially similar species using other features of the male genitalia.

Figures

Figs 18–29. Gonioscelis male genitalia. 18–20. G. amnoni sp. n. (holotype). 18. Lateral. 19. Dorsal. 20. Ventral. 21–23. G. batyleon sp. n. (holotype). 21. Lateral. 22. Dorsal. 23. Ventral. 24–26. G. bykanistes sp. n. (Hotazel paratype). 24. Lateral. 25. Dorsal. 26. Ventral. 27–29. G. ceresae Oldroyd, 1974 (holotype). 27. Lateral. 28. Dorsal. 29. Ventral. Scale lines = 1 mm.

Fig. 144. Distribution of Gonioscelis species found north of southern Africa. closed circle = amnoni, open circle = batyleon, closed square = congoensis, open square = feijeni, closed triangle = francoisi, open triangle = macquartii.