Afroholopogon peregrinus ( Engel, 1929 )

Londt, Jason G. H., 2005, A review of afrotropical Afroholopogon Londt, 1994 with the description of a new genus and new species (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae), African Invertebrates 46 (1937), pp. 203-252 : 222-224

Afroholopogon peregrinus ( Engel, 1929)

Figs 45–47 , 79

Heteropogon peregrinus Engel, 1929: 168 ; Oldroyd 1974: 44 (figs 34 postmetacoxal area, 36 entire male);

1980: 362 (catalogue). Type locality: South Africa. Afroholopogon peregrinus: Londt 1994: 64 , figs 17, 18 .

Redescription: Based on lectotype.

Head: Antenna: Dark red-brown, fine red-gold pruinose, dark red-brown setose; segmental formula 1.0:1.0:3.3:0.3:1.4. Face black, entirely silver pruinose, mystax with strong setae along epistomal margin, black medially pale yellow laterally, central setae weak, small, red-brown, extending almost to antennal sockets. Face width:head width ratio 1.0:4.6. Frons and vertex dark red-brown, mostly shiny apruinose, fine red-brown and brown-yellow setose. Occiput dark red-brown, silvery pruinose, white setose (few short pale yellow setae dorsally). Proboscis dark red-brown, white setose. Palpi dark red-brown, plp 1 white, plp 2 yellow-brown setose.

Thorax: Mesonotum black, shiny apruinose except for silver lateral and posterior margins (posterior pruinosity extends as a narrow strip to level of transverse suture. Setation: ac – tiny weak yellow-white; dc – tiny weak yellow-white; npl – 2 moderate brownyellow; sa – 1 weak brown-yellow; pa – tiny weak yellow-white. Scutellum dark redbrown, largely shiny apruinose except for anterolateral parts, disc asetose, margin with approx. 6 thin yellow setae. Pleura dark red-brown, entirely silver pruinose (anepisternum somewhat red-gold) except for apruinose spot on katepisternum, sparsely white setose. Wing 5.6 x 2.3 mm, pale brown, microtrichia red-brown, covering entire surface, basal angle of r 4 19°. Halter pale brown with brown-yellow knob (right halter broken). Legs: cx dark red-brown, silver pruinose, yellow-white setose; trochanters dark red-brown; fem dark red-brown dorsally brown-orange ventrally, fine yellow-white setose; tib brownorange dorsally dark red-brown ventrally, macrosetae black, setae yellow-white; tar dark red-brown, macrosetae black, setae predominantly red-brown.

Abdomen: Terga black, shiny apruinose except for narrow silver lateral margins, small fine dark red-brown setose. Sterna black, entirely dull silver pruinose, long fine dark red-brown setose. Genitalia: ơ holotype not dissected and macerated. Topotypic ơ illustrated ( Figs 45–47 ): Hypopygium rotated through about 180°; epand (in dorsal view) fully incised to form two lobes not clearly fused basally; lobes shorter than goncx and tapering to pointed apices; goncx externally distally bilobed and projecting (in lateral view) beyond level attained by epand; hypd (in lateral view), elongate, curved, gradually tapering (in ventral view) to rounded medial process.

Variation: Sexes similar. Individual variation minimal.

Type specimens (seen): SOUTH AFRICA: ơ lectotype ‘Engel / 14’, ‘Capland / Willowmore [3317S 2330E] / 15.xi.1919 / Dr. Brauns’, ‘ơ’, ‘Sammlung / E. Engel’, ‘Cotype von ơ / Heteropogon / peregrinus E.’ [red] (ZSMC); 1^ paralectotype ‘Sammlung / E. Engel’, [blank red label], ‘Capland / Willowmore / 15.xi.1919 / Dr. Brauns’, ‘ Heteropogon ^ / peregrinis Eng.’ (ZSMC); 1ơ paralectotype ‘Grahams / Town’ [3318S 2632E], ‘Sammlung / F. Hermann’, ‘Cotype von / Heteropogon / peregrinis Engel’ [red], ‘ peregrinus / Engel’ [blue], ‘Capland / Heteropogon / peregrinus / Type ơ Hrm’ [pale pink] (ZSMC).

Note: Oldroyd (1974) says ‘Type in Pretoria’. This is incorrect. Engel (1929) did not designate a holotype. His list of specimens clearly indicates that the three specimens in ZSMC were the only ones available at the time of description. They are therefore correctly considered cotypes or syntypes. As they come from two localities it is considered appropriate to designate a lectotype. The male from Willowmore is in excellent condition and is selected as lectotype, the other specimens are paralectotypes.

Other material studied: SOUTH AFRICA: 1^, ‘Sth Africa: Cape Prov / Klein Visrivier – ca. / 10 km W Somerset East / 32°44'S: 25°30'E 800 m / J&H Londt 6.xii.1989 / Rocky ridge & stream’; 1ơ, ‘Matroosberg [3323S 1940E] Sta.’ ~ ‘12.1962, / S.A.M.’ (SAMC); 1ơ, ‘Sth Africa: Cape Prov / 18 km NE Touwsrivier / Jan de Boers 3320AC / Londt & Quickelberge / 20.xi.1986 1000 m / Rocky area nr fields’; 1^, ‘7 Weeks Poort [Seven Weeks Poort 3322S 2125E] Berg / Ladismith, Cape. / 5500-7000 ft’ ~ ‘K.H. Barnard / Dec. 25-31 / 1928 ’ (SAMC); 1ơ ‘Cloetes Pass [3357S 2147E] / Oct. 1937 ’ (SAMC); 2^, ‘Sth Africa: Cape Prov. / Meiringspoort 3322BC / 11.xii.1979 Londt / & Stuckenberg Rocky / hillside & stream edge’; 1ơ, ‘Sth Africa: Cape Prov. / Diepkloof CA 20 km E / De Rust 3322BD / 12.xii.1979 J. Londt / & B. Stuckenberg Dry / rocky hillside & stream’; 2ơ, ‘Willowmore [3317S 2330E] / Capland / Dr. H. Brauns. / 11.1917’, ‘Engel / 14’ [1ơ only]; 1ơ 1^, ‘Capland / Willowmore / 1.12.1916 / Dr. Brauns’, ‘ Heteropogon / peregrinus Engel / det. H. Oldroyd 1972’ [on 8M only]; 1ơ, ‘Capland / Willowmore / 08.10.1916 / Dr. Brauns’; 1ơ,

‘ Capland / Willowmore / 08.10.1916 / Dr. Brauns’; 1?, ‘Capland / Willowmore / 10 Oct 1916 / Dr. Brauns’; 1ơ 2^, ‘Capland / Willowmore / 16.11.1916 / Dr. Brauns’; 2^, ‘Capland / Willowmore / 20.11.1916 / Dr. Brauns’; 1ơ, ‘Capland / Willowmore / 25.11.1916 / Dr. Brauns’; 1ơ 1^, ‘Sth Africa: Cape Prov. / Prince Alfred Pass / Summit 11.xii.1979 / 3323 CC / Stuckenberg & / Londt Old lands’; 1ơ, ‘Papiesfontein [3358S 2459E] / Gamtoos Mth,’ ~ ‘S.A.M. / 1: 60’ ( SAMC); 2ơ 10^, ‘Otterford Forestry / Reserve / Hankey area / 1–10.12.67 3325 CC / B&P Stuckenberg’; 1^, ‘ Cape Province / Grahamstown [3318S 2632E] / 7.i.1978 / J.G.H. Londt’; 1^, ‘ South Africa. / Cape Province / Cradock Rd / Grahamstown / 14.viii.1959 / D.J. Greathead’ ( BMNH); 4^, ‘ Garcias [approx. 3400S 2115E] / Forestry C. P. / Nov. 1940 / G. van Son’; 1ơ 1^, ‘ Sth Africa : Cape Prov. / Knysna Heads (N side) / 9–10.xii.1979 3423AA / Londt & Stuckenberg / Open hillside grass’; 2ơ, ‘ Sth Africa: Cape Prov. / Brenton on Sea 3423AA / 10.xii.1979 J. Londt / & B. Stuckenberg Dune / & hillside vegetation’ .

Distribution (Table 1), phenology (Table 2) and biology: Known from the southern parts of South Africa ( Fig. 79 ). The species flies from August to January (no September records exist), and has been swept from grass.

Similar species: A. africanus , but also capensis and melas (see discussion).

Figures

Figs 45–57. Afroholopogon species, male genitalia: (45–47) A. peregrinus (Engel, 1929), topotype, Willowmore: (45) lateral, (46) dorsal, (47) ventral; (48–50) A. tanystylos sp. n., paratype, 5 km E Augrabies Falls National Park’s main gate: (48) lateral, (49) dorsal, (50) ventral; (51–53) A. uranopia sp. n., paratype, Graaff-Reinet: (51) lateral, (52) dorsal, (53) ventral; (54–57) A. vumba (Oldroyd, 1974), paratype, N Vumba: (54) lateral, (55) dorsal, (56) ventral, (57) hypandrium in flatter view. Scale lines = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 79. Southern African distribution of Afroholopogon Londt, 1994 species: argos – closed circle, mauros – open circle, meilloni – closed square, melas – open square, peregrinus – closed triangle.