Rhabdogaster etheira, Londt, 2006

Londt, Jason G. H., 2006, A review of the Afrotropical genus Rhabdogaster Loew, 1858 with descriptions of new species (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae), African Invertebrates 47, pp. 243-313 : 255-256

Rhabdogaster etheira sp. n.

Figs 24–26

Etymology: From Greek etheira (mane). Refers to the long black dorsocentral setae of this species.

Description: Based mainly on holotype ơ.

Head: Black, silver pruinose, white and black setose. Antenna black, setae black. Face entirely pruinose. Mystax sparse, entirely white, occupying lower half of face. Frons and vertex entirely pruinose (including ocellar tubercle), fine black setose. Occiput entirely pruinose, white setose. Proboscis and palpi dark red-brown, setae white.

Thorax: Black, silver and gold pruinose, black and white setose. Mesonotum extensively gold and silver pruinose (patches) except for short narrow anteromedial stripes and small parts of postpronotal and postalar lobes (fairly large weakly pruinose areas are also present laterally, anterior of transverse suture), mesonotal setae long, mostly black (except for pale yellow notopleurals), especially dorsocentrals that extend for entire length of mesonotum. Pleura silver and gold pruinose except for a small spot on katepisternum. Scutellum entirely pruinose, with 2 long black sctl s accompanied by approx. 4 minor setae. Postmetacoxal bridge entirely silver pruinose. Legs: cx dark redbrown, silver pruinose, white setose; troc dark red-brown; fem 1 and 2 orange-brown with dark red-brown anterior surfaces, fem 3 entirely dark red-brown, white setose (2 or 3 black macrosetae ventrodistally); tib brown-yellow with dark red-brown distoventral parts, predominantly white setose (a few black setae distally); tar red-brown, mostly black setose.Wing 5.1 x 1.6 mm, veins mainly brown, membrane transparent, unstained, almost devoid of microtrichia (except for some distally). Discal cell entirely microtrichose, costal cell almost entirely without microtrichia (a few distally).

Abdomen: Dark red-brown to black, silver-gold pruinose, white setose.Tergites apruinose except for narrow hind margins. Sternites entirely pruinose. Terminalia ( Figs 24– 26 paratype): epand in lateral view gradually tapering to rounded tips; lobes broadly fused medially; hypd in lateral view shorter than external lobe of goncx, of complex structure distally ( Fig. 24 ); broadly-rounded basally in ventral view, tapering to trifurcate apex. External lobe of goncx slightly shorter than epand lobe, tapering gradually to somewhat truncate apex; well-sclerotised internal lobes with enlarged apices project beyond external lobes. Gonostyli in ventral view thick in basal half, slightly curved, projecting beyond level attained by inner lobe of goncx.

Holotype: ơ SOUTH AFRICA: Northern Cape: ‘ Sth Africa: N Cape / 10 km ESE Port Nolloth / 29 ° 17'07"S: 16 ° 58'42"E / 26.viii.2002 JGH Londt / 120 m White sand woody / plants & succulents’.

Paratypes: NAMIBIA: 3^‘ S. W.Africa (W48) / Kombat [1943S:1742S] / 1–6.iv.1972 ’, ‘ Southern / African Exp. / B.M. 1972-1.’ ( BMNH) ; SOUTH AFRICA: 1ơ 1^same data as holotype .

Distribution, phenology and biology (Tables 1, 2): Recorded only from Namibia and South Africa. Collected in April and August.

Similar species: R. kalyptos sp. n.

Figures

Figs 18–30. Rhabdogaster species, male terminalia: (18–20) R. cuthbertsoni sp. n., Salisbury holotype: (18) lateral, (19) dorsal, (20) ventral; (21–23) R. eremia sp. n., Noachabib paratype: (21) lateral, (22) dorsal, (23). ventral; (24–26) R. etheira sp. n., Port Nolloth paratype:(24) lateral, (25) dorsal, (26) ventral; (27–30) R. flavida (Lindner, 1973), Ongeama holotype: (27) lateral, (28) dorsal, (29) ventral, (30) hypandrium ‘flatter’ view. Scale bars = 1 mm.