Ancylorhynchus susurrus
Creators: name: Londt, Jason G. H.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2011
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Asilidae
Ancylorhynchus
Ancylorhynchus susurrus

description: Ancylorhynchus susurrus (Karsch, 1879)   
Figs 25, 55, 129–131  
 Xiphocerus susurrus: Karsch 1879: 380, fig. 4 (wing).   
 Ancylorrhynchus susurrus: Kertesz 1909: 102 (catalogue); Hull 1960: 217.   
 Ancylorhynchus susurrus: Oldroyd 1980: 360 (catalogue).   
Redescription:  
 Male (based on holotype. Condition: Fair; mesonotum cracked, especially anteriorly, but reasonably intact (most macrosetae broken); both mesothoracic legs are broken off beyond trochanters.).   
 Head: Dark red-brown to black, gold-silver pruinose, pale yellowish white setose. Antenna (Fig. 25): Dark red-brown, scape and pedicel whitish setose, postpedicel tipped with obliquely positioned pit-enclosed spine-like sensory element (terminal stylus ‘segment’ absent). Segmental ratios: 1:0.3:4.9. Face blackish, strongly gold-silver pruinose, mystax whitish occupying ventral ½ of face. Frons and vertex blackish, fine silver pruinose except for apruinose band between eyes that includes anterior part of ocellar tubercle, whitish setose; ocellar tubercle fine whitish setose. Occiput blackish, masked by uniformly strong gold-silver pruinescence, uniformly whitish setose. Palpus dark red-brown, whitish setose, terminal palpomere swollen, apex with terminal sensory pit. Proboscis dark red-brown, whitish setose.   
 Thorax: Uniformly dark red-brown to blackish, silver to gold-silver pruinose, whitish setose. Prothorax entirely black, fine silver pruinose, whitish setose. Mesonotum bark red-brown, fine silver pruinose, fine moderately long whitish setose (many broken due to damage to mesonotum). Mesonotal macrosetae (whitish when present): dc thin whitish confined to posterior parts, c. 2–3 npl, 1 spal, 3 pal. Scutellum entirely dark red-brown, fine silver pruinose, disc sparsely whitish setose, hind margin with c. 12 whitish moderately developed macrosetae accompanied by minor setae. Pleura entirely dark red-brown, strongly gold-silver pruinose, setae whitish confined to anepst, kepst and ktg. Anatg and mes pnot black. Legs: cx dark red-brown, strongly silver pruinose, whitish setose; tro dark red-brown (tro 2 with row of short black setae ventrally); fem, tib and tar uniformly dark red-brown, entirely whitish setose, claws dark red-brown with orange proximal parts. Wings (Fig. 55): 8.6× 3.8 mm (wing folded along A 1 making width measurement difficult). Veins dark red-brown. Membrane extensively microtrichose, red-brown (posterior cells slightly paler). Haltere pale yellowish.   
 Abdomen: Entirely dark red-brown to blackish, silver and gold-silver pruinose, whitish setose. T1 weakly silver pruinose; T2 almost entirely strongly silver pruinose (except for dorsomedial stripe); T3–4 dorsally weakly silver pruinose, laterally strongly gold-silver pruinose; T5 and beyond probably similar to T4 (dissected for genital study). Sternites similar to tergites but uniformly strongly gold-silver pruinose.   
 Genitalia (Figs 129–131): Epand bifid, forming pair of well-developed, stout lobes that project beyond all other genital structures. Lobes abut proximally, each lying parallel to each other, distal end slightly inwardly curved. Proct simple, weakly sclerotised, dorsally situated cerc appearing fused proximally. Goncx well developed, broad in lateral view, outer lobe projecting posteriorly to fairly broadly rounded distal end; dorsal finger-like process absent, lobe somewhat raised as a dorsal ridge where process commonly occurs; inner lobe well developed, distal end sclerotised, medially directed as acutely pointed structures. Gonst laterally compressed, dorsally directed, tip curved anteriorly (largely hidden from view in undissected genitalia). Hypd moderately developed, tapering fairly rapidly at midlength to broad, somewhat truncate distal end; distal end with pair of fairly closely associated, rounded setose protuberances. Aed broad with subapical lateral processes and tiny medial tip.   
Variation: There are only two known specimens, both males. The Banana male is almost identical to the holotype, although slightly smaller (wing 8.2× 3.5 mm).  
 Holotype (examined): ♂ ANGOLA: ‘ Chinchoxo Falls [12°45'S: 14°30'E] 51 [somewhat illegible]’, ‘7649’, ‘ Type [orange]’, ‘Zool. Mus. / Berlin’ (ZMHB). Notes: In describing the species Karsch (1879) states ‘ Es liegt nur ein Exemplar davon vor’ from ‘ Loango-Expedition in Chinchoxo’. Fig. 4 is a poor rendition of the wing and the sex of the holotype was not stated.   
 Other material examined: DR CONGO: 1♂ ‘Musée / du Congo Belge / Banana [08°01'S: 12°24'E] 8 [August] - 1910 / Dr Etienne’, ‘ Ancylorrhynchus / sussurrus / ♂ Karsch / [illegible squiggle]’, ‘R. Det. / 5409 / FF’, ‘ Ancylorrhynchus / susurrus Karsch / Det. S.W. Bromley 19’ (MRAC).   
Distribution, phenology and biology: Known only from Central Africa (Angola, DR Congo) (Table 1). Specimens have been collected in May and August (Table 2). The biology is unknown, but both known localities are located in areas dominated by tropical grassland and savanna.  
 Similar species: A member of the nomadus species-group with close similarities to funebris and greatheadi.
description: Published as part of Londt, Jason G. H., 2011, A review of Afrotropical Ancylorhynchus Berthold, 1827 (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae), pp. 471 in African Invertebrates 52 (2) on pages 524-525, DOI: 10.5733/afin.052.0214, http://zenodo.org/record/7917250