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

description: Africaterphis stefanfoordi sp. nov.
Figs 6, 11, 16
Material examined.
Holotype. Botswana • ♀; Serowe; 3 Sept. 1983; P. Forchhammer leg.; NMSA -Dip 142325; NMSA.
Paratype. South Africa • 1 ♀; Mpumalanga, Kaapmuiden; 25°32'S, 31°19'E; Apr. 1967; J. E. P. leg.; NMSA -Dip 142324; NMSA.
Diagnosis.
Africaterphis stefanfoordi sp. nov. can be distinguished from the known species in the genus by the combination of yellow anterior half of the postpronotal lobes (brown in female A. gertschi and A. acroceroides; yellow and brown in male A. gertschi) and predominantly brown scutum (yellow with black fasciae in male A. acroceroides).
Description.
Female. Length of entire specimen 7.6–8.8 mm., wing length 6.1–6.8 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 oval basally with large sensorial pits, with a straight, short, broad style arising dorsally at apex; style without apical setae. Small, triangular area below antennae without eye facets. Antennal tubercle broader than high, shiny, flat below, with rounded tip extending to base of antennal segment 3; with several scattered long setae. Ocelli brown, on small, raised triangle; median ocellus absent; lateral ocelli large, oval, 2 times wider than long, not touching eye margin. Vertical depression and surrounding ridge faintly rugose. Occiput smooth laterally, sculptured above on posterior margin, with bristle like pile laterally. Mouthparts reduced, yellow.
Thorax rugose, with short light brown pile over entire surface. Scutum mostly brown, with yellowish white spots posterior to the postpronotal lobes and on the postalar callus, medial vitta dark brown, lateral maculae black. Strongly arched, with three narrow longitudinal grooves, the medial one short and shallow, starting after the postpronotal lobes and stopping in line with the wings, the lateral grooves running from just behind the postpronotal lobes to in line with the postalar calli. Scutellum brown centrally, with two yellow maculae medio-laterally and dark brown laterally; with dark brown posterior border. Postpronotal lobes mostly yellowish-white, contiguous for about as long as length of ocellar triangle, brown on medial part of the posterior border. Pleurites brown, but with a yellow macula surrounding prothoracic spiracle. Anepisternum and meron swollen; katepisternum less rugose.
Legs pale yellow, except for the coxae are brown; with yellow pile.
Wings pale white, almost hyaline, except narrowly brown at base. Wing veins brown; 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 and knob yellowish brown.
Abdomen densely punctured, as long as thorax, widest at join of segment 3 and 4, segment 1 slightly narrower than segment 5; tergite 1 short, but prominently raised; tergites 4 to 6 fold over ventrally. With short appressed pale yellow pile over the entire surface, longer posteriorly. Tergite 1 dark brown, with thin yellow fascia on posterior margin. Other tergites brown with yellow fasciae on posterior margin, occupying 1 / 3 of tergite 2, ¼ of tergite 3, ½ of tergite 4 to 6. Sternites yellow, with narrow brown fascia anteriorly. Genitalia small, brown.
Male. Unknown.
Etymology.
We name this species in honour of Stefan Foord in recognition of his contribution to Entomology, Arachnology and Zoology in South Africa, Africa and the World. Stefan was a great colleague and friend and we miss his presence in the world.
Comments.
The known sites for A. stefanfoordi sp. nov. are in scrubland, rather than the woodland and forests from which A. acroceroides are known. While both species occur in the summer rainfall region, A. stefanfoordi sp. nov. occurs in drier habitats.
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