Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 1. The genus Choerades Walker, 1851 and the descriptions of two new genera, Nannolaphria and Notiolaphria, from southern Africa and Malagasy Republic * Author Loodt, J. G. H. Natal Museum, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa text ANNALS OF THE NATAL MUSEUM 1977 1977-10-31 23 43 55 journal article 28884 http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8359775 ca073709-11d6-43e3-9dc8-86c3998db8db 8359775 Notioiaphria africana sp. n. Figs 16-19 Diagnosis: Similar to N. macra . Thoracic markings faint; microsetal distribution confined to distal half of wing only; gonopods of male narrowly rounded distally and lacking the finger-like projection characteristic of N. macra. Description: Based on 3 ♂ 3♀ pinned. Holotype male: Head: Lateral aspect ( Fig. 17 ) similar to N. macra except: Face more inflated; mystax composed of long black setae overlayed by numerous long, dorso-ventrally flattened, shiny, gold setae. Proboscis as long as antenna. Thorax: Mesonotum and scutellum shiny black with a dark, greenish-blue, metallic appearance. Wing ( Fig. 16 ) as in N. macra but distribution of microsetae confined to distal half of wing. Abdomen: Terga and sterna shiny black with the same dark, greenish-blue, metallic appearance as the mesonotum and scutellum. Two long black macrosetae on T 2, other terga lack lateral macrosetae. Genital bulb ( Figs 18-19 ) elongate oval, rotated through 180°, claspers and pseudoclaspers as in N. macra; gonopods narrowly rounded distally and lacking the characteristic finger-like projections seen in N. macra. Dimensions: Body length 9,3 mm ; wing length 8,3 mm ; width of head across eyes 3,6 mm ; antenna length I, [mm; proboscis length 1,2 mm . Paratypes : 2 ♂ 3♀ Agree with holotype . Females have fewer and shorter gold setae in mystax. Dimensions: Body length ♂ 9,5-10,0 mm, ♀ 8,5-10,5 mm ; wing length ♂ 7,5-8,0 mm, ♀ 7,5-8,5 mm . Type specimens: (N. M. T2101) MOZAMBIQUE : Holotype ♂ and 2♂ paratypes , Gorongoza Mountain , Manica Sofala Dist ., Port. East Africa , 840 m , gallery forest, IX.1957 , Stuckenberg. RHODESIA : 2♀ paratypes , Mt Selinda , 3.II. l954, N. 1. Myers ; 1♀ paratype , N. Vumba , 19.XI. l964, D. Cookson . (All specimens in Natal Mus.) Figs 16- 19. Notiolaphria africana gen. et sp. n. (N. M. T2101) Holotype 0'. 16. Right wing. 17. Lateral aspect of head. 18- 19. Genital bulb. 18. Lateral aspect. 19. Dorsal aspect (Note: Genital bulb, normally rotated through 180°, is drawn as ifunrotated) Abbreviations: A = aedeagus, C = clasper, E = epandrium, G = gonopod, H hypandrium, Pc = pseudoclasper. Pr = proctiger. Remarks: Oldroyd labelled the above specimens 'Stands in B. M. drawer 141 as coerulescens Macq.? n. gen. et sp.?' As coerulescens was described as a species of Laphria and these specimens lack the characteristic laterally flattened proboscis of Laphria there is no doubt that they are not Laphria or Choerades . N. ajricana possesses a genitalial form very similar to N. macra and clearly belongs to the same genus.