Africaterphis gertschi
Creators: name: Midgley, John M.
name: Theron, Genevieve L.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Acroceridae
Africaterphis
Africaterphis gertschi

description: Africaterphis gertschi (Schlinger, 1960)
Figs 4, 5, 9, 10, 14, 15
Terphis gertschi Schlinger 1960: 497.
Africaterphis gertschi (Schlinger 1960: 497) – Schlinger (1968: 62); Schlinger (1980: 378); Barraclough (1984: 56).
Material examined.
Holotype (photographs only). South Africa • ♂; Western Cape [as Cape Province], Ceres; 1500 ft asl; 1–3 Jan. 1921; R. E. Turner leg.; BMNH (E) 241282; NHMUK 013444825; NHMUK.
Paratype. South Africa • 1 ♂; Western Cape, Ceres, Matroosberg; 3500 ft; Nov. 1917; Lightfoot leg.; SAM-DIP A 009073; SAMC.
Other material.
South Africa • 2 ♂♂ 3 ♀♀; Eastern Cape [as Cape Province], Makhanda [as Grahamstown], Hilton; 13–30 Nov. 1970; FW Gess leg.; Malaise trap; AMGS -ENT 57341, AMGS -ENT 57342, AMGS -ENT 57344, AMGS -ENT 37346, AMGS -ENT 57347; AMGS • 1 ♂; same data as preceding; 5–9 Nov. 1970; AMGS -ENT 57338; AMGS • 1 ♂; same data as preceding; 28–30 Oct. 1970; AMGS -ENT 57340 ’ • 1 ♀; same data as preceding; 1–16 Jan. 1971; AMGS -ENT 57345; AMGS • 1 ♀; same data as preceding; 8–12 Oct. 1975; AMGS -ENT 57343; AMGS • 1 ♂; same data as preceding; 22–26 Oct. 1975; AMGS -ENT 57339; AMGS • 1 ♂; same data as preceding; 5–9 Nov. 1975; NMSA -Dip 000011; NMSA • 1 ♀; same data as preceding; 5–7 Dec. 1977; NMSA -Dip 000012; NMSA • 2 ♂♂ Western Cape, Gamkaskloof, Die Hel; 33°21.808'S, 21°37.650'E; 16–18 Oct. 2012; 336 m; AH Kirk-Spriggs leg.; BMSA (D) 38528, BMSA (D) 38529; BMSA • 1 ♂; Western Cape, Grabouw; 6 Jan. 1971; J. G. Theron leg.; SUEC • 1 ♀; Western Cape [as Cape], Nuwekloof, 3 km E. Gouda; 33°19'S, 19°06'E; 5 Oct. 1993; J. G. H Londt leg.; old road and riverbanks; NMSA -Dip 000316; NMSA.
Diagnosis.
Africaterphis gertschi can be distinguished from the known species in the genus by the combination of brown anterior half of the postpronotal lobes in the case of females and yellow and brown in the case of males (brown in female A. acroceroides and yellow in female A. stefanfoordi sp. nov.) and predominantly black scutum (yellow with black fasciae in male A. acroceroides and predominantly brown in A. stefanfoordi sp. nov.).
Description.
Male. Length of entire specimen 4.5–6.6 mm., wing length 2.9–3.7 mm.
Head black, spherical, eyes contiguous above and below antennae. Antennae brown, minute; segment 1 hardly discernible under antennal tubercle; segment 2 short, round, pollinose; segment 3 shiny, not pollinose, broad and round basally with large sensorial pits, with a straight, short, broad style arising dorsally at apex; style with four short apical setae. Small, triangular area below antennae without eye facets. Antennal tubercle shiny, longitudinally ridged, flat below, with acute median tip extending out beyond base of antennal segment 3; with several scattered long setae. Ocelli brown, on broad triangle; median ocellus small, circular; lateral ocelli large, oval, 2 times wider than long, touching eye margin. Vertical depression and surrounding ridge rugose. Occiput smooth laterally, sculptured above on posterior margin, with bristle like pile posteriorly. Mouthparts not visible, area surrounded by small raised lip.
Thorax rugose, with short white pile over entire surface. Scutum mostly black, with yellowish white spots posterior to the postpronotal lobes, brown on dorsal ridge of postalar callus, usually with a yellowish brown spot posterior to postalar callus, which ranges from small and rounded to larger and more triangular. Strongly arched, with three deep but narrow longitudinal grooves, the medial one running the entire length of the scutum, the lateral grooves running from in line with the postpronotal lobes to in line with the postalar calli. Scutellum black centrally, with brown areas laterally as it transitions to yellow posterior border. Postpronotal lobes mostly yellowish-white, contiguous for about as long as length of ocellar triangle, with a small brown spot next to the prothoracic spiracle. Pleurites black, but with brown spots surrounding prothoracic spiracle and ventral of the postpronotal lobes. Anepisternum and meron swollen; katepisternum and upper part of postalar callus no rugose.
Legs pale yellow, except for the coxae and central 3 / 4 of the femur which are brown and tarsi which are sometimes pale brown; with yellow pile.
Wings pale white, almost hyaline, except narrowly brown at base. Wing veins white, except brown at base; veins well developed anteriorly, reduced medially and absent posteriorly. Lower calypter white with white border, broadly connected to thorax along half or antero-dorsal margin. Halter stem brown, knob yellowish brown.
Abdomen densely punctured, as long as thorax, widest at segment 3, segments 1 and 5 of equal width; tergites 2 to 4 with deep groove anteriorly which fits under the preceding tergite, tergite 1 short, but prominently raised; tergites 4 to 6 fold over ventrally. With short appressed white pile over the entire surface. Tergite 1 black, with thin yellow fascia on posterior margin. Other tergites yellow with black fasciae on anterior margin, occupying ½ to 2 / 3 of tergite 2, 1 / 3 to 3 / 5 of tergite 3 and 1 / 10 to ½ of tergites 4 to 6. Sternites yellow. Genitalia small, brown.
Female as for male except:
Length of entire specimen 6.0– 6.4 mm., wing length 3.9–4.5 mm.
Head. Lateral ocelli 3 times as long as wide. Mouthparts reduced, yellow, area surrounded by small raised lip.
Thorax: Scutum mostly dark brown, lighter brown laterally. Longitudinal grooves shallower. Scutellum brown, slightly lighter on basal corners. Postpronotal lobes brown, except for a small yellow spot near the posterior border. Pleurites brown.
Legs brown, except for the tip of the femur and dorsal side of tarsi, which are yellow.
Wings faintly brown infuscated. Wing veins brown. Lower calypter brown, rim brown except for medial angle where it is whitish.
Abdomen, longer than thorax, widest at segment 4, segments 1 and 6 of equal width; tergites 2 and 3 with shallow groove anteriorly. Tergites and sternites brown.
Comments.
Found in Fynbos and Thicket vegetation in the Western and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa (Fig. 1). Unlike the other known species, A. gertschi is limited to the winter rainfall region.
description: Published as part of Midgley, John M. & Theron, Genevieve L., 2025, Revision of the Afrotropical spider fly genus Africaterphis Schlinger, 1968 (Diptera, Acroceridae) with the description of a new species, pp. 193-206 in African Invertebrates 66 (1) on pages 193-206, DOI: 10.3897/afrinvertebr.66.138761