Ischiolobos mesotopos Londt, 2005

Londt, Jason G. H., 2020, A survey of grassland Asilidae (Diptera) at Jacana Eco Estate, Hilton, South Africa, African Invertebrates 61 (1), pp. 29-48 : 29

2. Ischiolobos mesotopos Londt, 2005 Fig. 10

Remarks.

This species was described mainly on a good series of specimens collected during the year-long survey of a grassland within Queen Elizabeth Park (29°34'S, 30°19'E), Pietermaritzburg, when it was identified merely as "Species X" ( Londt 2002b). The only other recorded localities were Hilton (29°32'S, 30°17'E), collected in November and Cumberland Nature Reserve (29°30'S, 30°30'E) collected in January and December.

Adults of this species were encountered in good numbers on the first sampling day and the species remained abundant for the following three to four weeks before numbers began to decrease in weeks five and six. From week seven through to week 44, the species was absent, only reappearing in week 45. By week 49, the species was again fairly abundantly represented. The flight period of this species was therefore 14 weeks. The species appeared to be fairly uniformly distributed in both the upper and lower fields.

This small species was invariably swept from long grass with very few actually being sighted. None were encountered mating or with prey. The species appears to be largely confined to Londt’s (1994) ecological category 4a (within grass).

Table 4 provides a comparison of flight periods with those recorded from Queen Elizabeth Park ( Londt 2002b). Adults were encountered at approximately the same time of year and flight periods ranged from 14 weeks at Jacana to 17 weeks at Queen Elizabeth Park.

Figures

Figures 4 - 13. Grassland inhabiting Asilidae encountered at Jacana Eco Estate (arranged alphabetically): 4 Caenoura annulitarsis (Loew, 1858) 5 Damalis monochaetes Londt, 1989 6 Dasophrys fortis Londt, 1981 7 Dasophrys tarsalis (Ricardo, 1920) 8 Dysclytus firmatus (Walker, 1857) 9 Euscelidia vallis Dikow, 2003 10 Ischiolobos mesotopos Londt, 2005 11 Leptogaster sp. 12 Microstylum sp. 13 Rhipidocephala obscurata Oldroyd, 1966. Photos: B. Muller.