Philodicus fraterculus
Creators: name: Londt, J. G. H.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 1978
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Asilidae
Philodicus
Philodicus fraterculus

description: <i>Philodicus fraterculus</i> (Walker, 1855) Figs 7,8, 13, 14 <i>Trupanea fraterculus</i> Walker, 1855: 597. <i>Pramachus fratereulus</i> Kertész, 1909: 220. <i>Philodicus fraterculus</i> Blasdale, 1957: 145. PI. II, fig. 17 (~). <i>Philodicus nigripes</i> Ricardo, 1925: 237; Blasdale, 1957: 145. PI. I, fig. 7 (&amp;male;), PI. II, fig. 8 (&amp;female;). syn. n. <i>Philodieus multicellula</i> Hull, 1967: 225 -6, fig. 7 (wing). syn. n. 3' Although I have not seen any type material, I have studied a number of specimens from various localities in South Africa, Rhodesia, South West Africa, Angola and Lesotho. Specimens from Natal (near type locality) possess bicolourous black legs (supposedly characteristic of <i>Jraterculus)</i> while all other specimens possess entirely black legs (characteristic of <i>nigripes).</i> Terminalia are, however, identical and so I regard <i>P. nigripes</i> as a junior subjective synonym of <i>P. Jraterculus.</i> Hull (1967) described <i>P. multicellula</i> from a single female collected at Hensley's Dam, south of Leribe, Lesotho. His detailed description suggests that this specimen is almost identical to specimens of <i>P. Jraterculus.</i> I have seen a pair of <i>P. Jraterculus</i> from Lesotho, one collected at Leribe, and so there is little doubt of the synonymy. Hull (1967) emphasised the fact that <i>P. multicellula</i> possesses four extra crossveins in the subcostal cell. <i>P.fraterculus</i> often possesses such crossveins although the number is variable. I do not believe that the number of subcostal-crossveins is a reliable diagnostic character. The male clasper (Figs 7, 8) shows a degree of individual variation. The aedeagal tip (Figs 13, 14) is unlike any other southern African species in that it possesses two slightly swollen subapical bulbs and three shortish terminal prongs. Theodor (1976) illustrated the aedeagus of an undetermined South African species of <i>Philodicus</i> and there is little doubt that he studied <i>P. Jraterculus.</i> <i>Material examined:</i> SOUTH AFRICA: Natal, 1 &amp;male;, 1 &amp;female;, Empangeni, 11.1906, H. v. P. B. (N.M.); 1 &amp;female;, St Lucia, 28.XII.1930, Marley (N.M.). Transvaal, 1 &amp;male;, Lake Funduzi, 28.I.1931, G. v. Son (N.M.); 1 ~, Entabeni Forest, 6.x 1l.1964, Vari &amp; Potgieter (N.M.); 1 &amp;male;, 2 &amp;female;, Entabeni Forest, 12- 17.1.1971 &amp; 19.1. 1971, R. Jones (N.M.); 1 &amp;female;, Johannesburg, St. George's Home, 26.111.1938, A. L. Capener (N.M.); 2 &amp;female;, Pretoria, Wonderboom, 29.I.1916, H. K. Munro (N.M.); 1 &amp;male;, 3 &amp;female;, Heidelberg, 21.1. 1921, H. K. Munro (N.M.); 1 &amp;male;, 1 &amp;female;, Pretoria, 25.x1 l.1912, H. K. Munro (N.M.); 2&amp;male;, Pretoria, 21.1.1919, 11.1.1914, H. K. Munro (N.M. &amp; C.M.); 1 &amp;female;, Wonderboom (Pretoria), 8.11.1907, C. Swierstra (N.M.); 1 &amp;female;, Platrivier, Waterberg Dist. 1.I 1.1903, R. V. Jutrencha (N.M.). LESOTHO: 1 &amp;female;, Leribe, 12.III.1956, L. Bevis (D. M.); 1 &amp;male;, Mamathes, I 1. III. 1956, L. Bevis (D.M.). RHODESIA: 1 &amp;male;, Matesi, IV. 1934, R. H. R. Stevenson (S.A.M.). SOUTH WEST AFRICA: 1 &amp;male;, Kaoko Otavi, 111.1926, S.A.M. Exped., (S.A.M.). ANGOLA: 1 &amp;male;, Chitapua, SE 1415 Ad, 3-5.XII.1973, M. J. Penrith &amp; E. Mokgoabone (S.M.). <i>Type material</i> (not studied): SOUTH AFRICA: Natal, I &amp;female; holotype, Port Natal (Durban), (British Museum of Natural History). Types of <i>P. nigripes</i> are from MALA WI: I &amp;female; holotype, Mt. Mlanje, IS. XII.1912, S. A. Neave (B. M.(N.H.)). RHODESIA: 1 &amp;male;! paratype, Bulawayo; I &amp;female; paratype, Hope Fountain (National Museum Rhodesia). The type of <i>P. multicellula</i> is from LESOTHO: I 縠 holotype, Hensley's Dam, 13 km. S. W. Leribe, 30.III. l951 loc. no. 254 Brinck &amp; Rudebeck (E. M. L.). <i>Distribution:</i> The distribution of <i>P. Jraterculus</i> appears to be limited to southern Africa. The two female paratypes of <i>P. nigripes</i> from Uganda are anomalous and may represent incorrect identifications or a very much wider distribution. <i>Prey:</i> Three specimens have been mounted together with their prey. In two instances the prey are grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae) while the third prey is a flesh fly (Diptera: Sarcophagidae).
description: Published as part of <i>Londt, J. G. H., 1978, Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 2. * The genus Philodicus Loew, 1848, in southern Africa, pp. 419-428 in ANNALS OF THE NATAL MUSEUM 23 (2)</i> on pages 424-425, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.8367253