Empodiodes melanoscopaeus Londt, 2012

Londt, Jason G. H., 2019, A revision of Empodiodes Oldroyd, 1972 with the descriptions of two new species from South Africa (Diptera, Asilidae, Stenopogoninae), African Invertebrates 60 (1), pp. 67-82 : 67

Empodiodes melanoscopaeus Londt, 2012 Figs 2 , 16

Empodiodes melanoscopaeus Londt, 1992: 59-62 (figs 15 head anterior, 15 head lateral, 17 prosternum and prothoracic coxae, 18 wing, 19 metathoracic tarsus, 20-21 metatarsal appendages, 22-24 ♂ terminalia); 2012: 260-3 (figs 1 entire ♂, 2 head lateral, 3 metathoracic tarsus, 4 wing, 5-7 ♂ terminalia, 8 ♀ terminalia); 2012: 263.

Material.

SOUTH AFRICA: 1♂ 1♀ ' South Africa: N Cape / 1 km S Carnarvon 1260m / Appie van Heerden Nat. / Reserve 14.xi.2008 / 30°58.83'S, 22°07.39'E / J & A Londt Karoo scrub’ NMSA-DIP 81677(NMSA) ; 1♀ Paratype ' S Africa: Cape #33 / 23 km SE of Middelpos / 32°01'S, 20°25'E 1200m / Date: 28.xi.1990 / Whittington & Londt / Banks of Visrivier' NMSA-DIP 74275 (NMSA) ; ♂ Holotype ' S Africa: Cape #26 / 18km N of Sutherland / 32°16'S, 20°41'E 1350m / Date: 26.xi.1990 / Londt & Whittington / Renosterrivier area’ NMSA-DIP 74274 (NMSA) .

Distribution, phenology and biology.

Known from three localities in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa (Fig. 16 ) and collected only in November (Table 1 ). The rather arid areas concerned experience very cold winters and very hot summers so the species may only be active for a brief period between these two possibly unfavourable seasons. Fig. 2 , although not taken at one of the known localities, provides an impression of the environment probably inhabited by this species. Little is known of the biology apart from the fact that those individuals collected were perched on the ground and have been collected sympatrically with E. whittingtoni .

Figures

Figure 2. A typical landscape in the vicinity of Besemgoedkop (photographed 18 November 2011), showing the general habitat occupied by both Empodiodes melanoscopaeus and E. whittingtoni.

Figure 16. The distribution of Empodiodes species: E. greatheadi Oldroyd, 1972 (●), E. melanoscopaeus Londt, 1992 (○), E. namibiensis Londt, 2012 (■), E. pusillipes sp. nov. (□), E. torridus sp. nov. (▲), E. whittingtoni Londt, 1992 (♦) (Map Zamisa).