A review of the genus Hoplistomerus Macquart, 1838 (Diptera: Asilidae: Laphriinae)
Author
Londt, Jason G. H.
text
African Invertebrates
2007
2007-12-31
48
2
167
198
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.7667859
2305-2562
7667859
Hoplistomerus engeli
Oldroyd, 1940
Figs 8–10
Hoplistomerus caliginosus
: Engel
(
nec
Wulp) 1932: 257. Misidentification.
Hoplistomerus engeli
:
Oldroyd 1940: 316
(fig. 5f ơ clasper); 1980: 350 (catalogue);
Hull 1962: 96
.
Diagnosis: Size: Moderate (wing length from humeral cross-vein to tip
8–11 mm
).
Head
: Eye wider than face (in anterior view measured at level of greatest head width). Relative proportions of antennal segments (scape, pedicel and postpedicel) 1.0:0.9:2.5 (i.e. scape and pedicel approximately equal; postpedicel less than three times length of scape).
Thorax
: Presutural macroseta(e) present. Anepisternal macroseta present. Prosternal ventromedial setation short to absent. Male metatibial spur small. Scutellum lacking a transverse groove at mid-length. Wing cell m
3
with microtrichia limited to a narrow posterior strip and small distoposterior area. Prothoracic coxa and prosternum both dark red-brown. Prothoracic femur dark red-brown (tips may be paler).
Abdomen
: T3 setulae entirely white (no golden setae evident). ơ genitalia as in
Figs 8–10
.
Type specimens studied (all BMNH):
SOMALIA
: 1ơ
holotype
, ‘Holo- / type’, ‘Bohotle [
08°15'N
:
46°20'E
] / Somaliland. /1903. / Vety-Major A. F. Appleton. / 1907–89’, ‘
Holotype
/
Hoplistomerus
ơ /
engeli
Oldr.
/ det. H.
Oldroyd 1940
’; 1ơ
1^paratypes
, same date but labeled as
paratypes
.
KENYA
[?
SOMALIA
]:
1^paratype
, ‘Neboi, / 6.vi.22, ‘
Kenya
Colony / Northern Frontier Distr. / Juba R. [
00°15'S
:
42°38'E
] / Dr. J. O. Bevan’.
Note: I do not know where Neboi is and can not trace a river in
Kenya
by the name of Juba. However, a ‘stream’ by that name exists in the SW of
Somalia
near the Kenyan border which seems the most likely locality.
Other specimens studied:
SOMALIA
:
1^Diinsoor
[Dhiin Soor,
02°24'N
:
42°59'E
],
26.xi.1983
, Lavigne; 2ơ Baidoa [
03°04'N
:
43°48'E
],
11.xi.1983
, Lavigne; 1^Baidoa,
18.xi.1983
, Lavigne; 1^Baidoa,
23.xi.1983
, Lavigne; 1^Baidoa,
7.xi.1985
, Lavigne
.
Notes:
Oldroyd (1940: 316)
discusses Engel’s (1932) record of
H
.
caliginosus
from Neboi. Having seen one such specimen I can confirm that it is not
caliginosus
but agrees well with Oldroyd’s
engeli
males from Bohotle.
Distribution and biology: All verified localities for
engeli
are in
Somalia
. While most of the material was collected in November, the Neboi
paratype
was apparently collected in June (Table 1).