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

description: Ancylorhynchus whiteheadi sp. n.   Figs 29, 59, 141–143  
Etymology: Named after Dr Vincent Whitehead, who, while working at the South African Museum, collected a number of interesting Asilidae, including the holotype of this distinctive species.  
Description:  
 Male (based on holotype. Condition: Excellent; right mesothoracic leg is missing the tarsus.).   
 Head: Dark red-brown to blackish, silver pruinose, white pale yellow and dark red-brown setose. Antenna (Fig. 29, paratype): Entirely dark red-brown to black, pedicel slightly paler, pale yellow setose, terminal stylus ‘segment’ present, tipped with pit-enclosed spine-like sensory element. Segmental ratios: 1:0.4:4.0:0.1. Face blackish, strongly silver pruinose except laterally on epistomal margin, mystax shiny white occupying entire face (weakly dorsally). Frons and vertex black, fine silver-grey pruinose except for V-shaped area between eyes that includes much of ocellar tubercle, pale yellow-white setose; ocellar tubercle fine pale yellow setose (no macrosetae). Occiput black, uniformly fine silver pruinose, pale yellow setose. Palpus dark red-brown, palpomere 1 yellow setose, palpomere 2 dark red-brown and yellow setose, terminal palpomere swollen, apex with terminal sensory pit. Proboscis dark red-brown, pale yellow setose.   
 Thorax: Dark red-brown to blackish with orange areas dorsally, silver pruinose, white and pale yellow setose. Prothorax entirely blackish, silver pruinose, white and pale yellow setose. Mesonotum blackish except for orange lateral and posterior margins (including postpronotal and postalar lobes and intervening parts), fine silver pruinose, fine shortish pale yellow setose. Mesonotal macrosetae (yellow when present): dc tiny pale yellow confined to area posterior to transverse suture, 2 npl, 1 spal, 3 pal. Scutellum entirely dark red-brown, fine silver pruinose, disc sparsely pale yellow setose, hind margin with 4 pale yellow weakly developed macrosetae accompanied by minor setae. Pleura entirely black, entirely strongly silver pruinose, setae white to pale yellow confined to anepst, kepst and ktg. Anatg and mes pnot dark red-brown. Legs: cx black, strongly silver pruinose, white setose; tro shiny dark red-brown; fem 1&2 orange with small proximally situated red-brown marks anteroventrally fem 3 mainly dark red-brown with orange distal and proximal ends, tib and tar uniformly orange, macrosetae yellow fine setae white, claws dark red-brown with orange proximal parts. Wings (Fig. 59): 8.1× 3.4 mm. Veins orange anteriorly brown posteriorly. Membrane extensively microtrichose (some proximal cells partly bare), distal cells brownish (from about first fork of Rs), proximal cells relatively transparent. Haltere yellow with brown distal and proximal ends.   
 Abdomen: Predominantly blackish with orange areas, fine silver pruinose areas, white setose. T1 blackish, weakly pruinose; T2 blackish anteriorly. Orange posteriorly (with tiny yellowish parts along posterior margin), silver pruinescence only evident anteriorly; T3–4 blackish with orange areas posterolaterally (small on T4), little evidence of pruinescence; T5 blackish anteriorly orange posteriorly, little evidence of pruinescence; T6-terminalia dissected. Sternites similar to tergites but orange parts more extensive.   
 Genitalia (Figs 141–143): Epand bifid, forming pair of relatively long, fairly slender, straight lobes that project beyond other genital structures. Lobes closely abut proximally, becoming fairly widely separated (in dorsal view). Proct simple, weakly sclerotised, dorsally situated cerc closely associated but probably not fused. Goncx large, well developed, outer lobe broad, covered with strong setae, projecting posteriorly to rounded distal end; dorsal finger-like process completely absent; inner lobe well developed, distal end sclerotised and medially directed (slightly overlapping opposing lobe). Gonst laterally compressed, dorsally directed, tip curved anteriorly (largely hidden from view in undissected genitalia). Hypd well developed, almost as long as broad, tapering fairly rapidly to broad bilobed, densely setose, flattened distal end; setose distal end with small group of strong setae medially. Aed hidden in undissected genitalia.   
 Female. Similar to male but somewhat larger (wing 11.4× 4.5 mm); fem 1&2 entirely orange, fem 3 extensively orange with small slightly red-brown areas at midlength anterodorsally.   
Holotype: ♂ SOUTH AFRICA: ‘ S. Afr. C.P. / Murraysberg [Murraysburg, 31°57'S: 23°46'E] / Witteklip / 6.iii.[19]91 / VB Whitehead’ (SAMC).  
Paratype: 1♀ SOUTH AFRICA: 1♀ ‘ Murraysburg Dist. / C.P.’ ~ ‘ Museum Staff / Mar. 1931 ’ (SAMC).  
Distribution, phenology and biology: Known only from South Africa (Table 1). Specimens have been collected only in March (Table 2). The biology is unknown. The type locality falls within the Nama-Karoo biome.  
 Similar species: A member of the reynaudii species-group with close similarities to gessi.
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 533-535, DOI: 10.5733/afin.052.0214, http://zenodo.org/record/7917250