Saropogon greatheadi, Londt, 1997

Londt, Jason G. H., 1997, Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 29. A review of the genus Saropogon Loew, 1847 (Dasypogoninae), ANNALS OF THE NATAL MUSEUM 38, pp. 137-157 : 141-143

Saropogon greatheadi sp. n.

Figs I-S

Etymology: Named for Dr David Greathead, whose collecting activities in north-east Africa added a number of interesting specimens to the collections of the British Museum, London.

Description: Based on holotype 0.

Head ( Figs 1-2 ): Face brown-yellow, gold pruinose; frons, vertex and occiput dark red-brown to black, silver pruinose except for a transverse band across vertex, including most of ocellarium, which is shiny apruinose. Setae of frons, vertex and occiput very short and whitish. Antenna with orange scape and pedicel, dark redbrown flagellum and rnicrosegment; setae mostly yellow, a few black; proportional lengths of segments - 1: O.S: 6.0; pedicel ca half length of scape, microsegment not clearly differentiated from flagellum, subapical pit-enclosed seta present (pit far more elongate than in other species). Width of eye: width of face ratio 0.9: 1 (i.e. face slightly wider than eye). Mystax brown-yellow and black (3 setae only); composed of 9 setae arranged in a single row along lower facial margin. Palpus dark brown. Proboscis dark red-brown with paler transverse stripe at mid-length, very gently downcurved.

Thorax: Mesonotum orange-brown with 3 dark red-brown longitudinal areas, the central one reaching to anterior margin; silver pruinose especially on lateral margins. Macrosetae brown-yellow: 3 npl; 3 spal; 2 pal; ca. 4 pairs dc postsuturally; pronotal lobes with 2 brown-yellow macrosetae. Scutellum brown-yellow, 2 brown-yellow marginal macrosetae; disc asetose, silver pruinose. Pleura dark red-brown, gold-silver pruinose; katatergite with ca. 20 scattered pale yellow setae. Wing: 12.4 x 4.7 mm; cell m] closed and stalked, cup closed; membrane unstained, transparent; rnicrotrichia.

confined to wing margins and tip as well as margins of major veins, giving these areas a grey appearance. Halter: Brown-red. Legs: Brown-yellow, tarsi slightly darker; setae yellow and black (macrosetae mostly black).

Abdomen: Brown; macrosetae pale yellow, confined to lateral parts of Tl. Genitalia ( Figs 3-5 ): not rotated; proctiger well developed and downwardly directed distally; hypandrium tapering to rounded point distally and with poorly developed membranous, distal lobe ( Fig. 5 ); phallus moderately developed with wing-like projections laterally ( Fig. 5 ).

Variation: The paratype d is teneral, somewhat distorted, greasy and lacking the terminal segments of the antennae. The genitalia and other main diagnostic features agree well with the holotype. The 9 is unknown.

Material examined: ERITREA: 1 ♂ holotype, '15 ml N Massawa [= Mits'iwa - 15° 36'N: 39°28'E] / Eritrea / 8/8/64 ' ( BMNH) ; 1 ♂ paratype, ' Eritrea: / near / Massawa / l. iv.1961 / D. 1. Greathead' ( BMNH) .

The holotype locality label is hand-written in pencil and was probably intended as a field label. Greathead (pers. comm.) suggests that he collected the holotype as he visited the locality in both 1961 and 1964. He describes Massawa and the collecting site as follows 'Seaport for Eritrea and northern Ethiopia on salt marsh. Collecting site inland of marsh on gravel plain with sparse grass clumps and few flowering shrublets'.

Figures

Figs 1-5. Saropogon greatheadi sp. n., holotype d (Massawa). 1-2. Head. I. Lateral. 2. Anterior. 3-5. d genitalia. 3. Lateral. 4. Dorsal. 5. Ventral. Scale lines equal I mm