Afroholopogon mauros Londt 2005, sp. n.
Creators: name: Londt, Jason G. H.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2005
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Asilidae
Afroholopogon
Afroholopogon mauros

description: Afroholopogon mauros sp. n.   Figs 33–35, 79  
 Etymology: Gr. mauros (dark). Refers to the generally dark colour of this small species.   
Description: Based on holotype.  
 Head: Antenna: Dark red-brown, fine silver pruinose, white setose; segmental formula 1.0:1.2:2.8:0.3:2.5. Face black, strongly silver pruinose, mystax white, strong setae along epistomal margin, otherwise short. Face width:head width ratio 1.0:4.6. Frons and vertex black, extensively silver pruinose but with an apruinose strip joining eyes through ocellar tubercle, white setose. Occiput black, entirely silver pruinose, white setose. Proboscis dark red-brown, white setose. Palpi redbrown, white setose.   
 Thorax: Mesonotum black, silver pruinose except for 3 small mediolateral apruinose spots, one anterior of transverse suture, two postsuture (the most posterior one may be tiny or hardly evident). Setation: ac – fine white setae, long postsuture; dc – long white setae along entire length of mesonotum; npl – 2 pale yellow; sa – 1 weak white amongst white setae; pa – 1 weak white amongst white setae. Scutellum black, entirely silver pruinose, disc asetose, margin with 6 thin pale yellow setae and white setae that extend onto disc. Pleura black, entirely silver pruinose, white setose. Wing 3.8 x 1.5 mm, transparent membrane with yellow veins, microtrichia absent, basal angle of r 4 27°. Halter pale brown with yellow knob. Legs: cx black, silver pruinose, white setose; trochanters black; fem dark red-brown, white setose; tib dark red-brown, white setose (a few dark red-brown setae distally); tar dark red-brown, black setose.   
 Abdomen: Terga dark red-brown, silver pruinose except for apruinose mediodistal parts, white setose. Sterna dark red-brown, entirely silver pruinose, white setose. Genitalia: Holotype not dissected, but agrees well with topotypic paratype ơ illustrated (Figs 33– 35): Hypopygium unrotated; epand (in dorsal view) moderately incised to form broadly basally fused distally pointed lobes; goncx externally distally unilobed and projecting (in lateral view) beyond level attained by epand; hypd (in lateral view) short and not projecting distally beyond level attained by epand, tapering gradually (in ventral view) to broadly-rounded medial process.   
Variation: Sexes similar. Little variation seen. Specimens from the western parts of the known distribution (Northern Cape of South Africa and Namibia) have more extensively apruinose mesonotal areas.  
 Type specimens: BOTSWANA: 6ơ 2^ paratypes, ‘ Botswana / Serowe [2223S 2643E] / M. T. 6.xi.87’; 8ơ paratypes, ‘ Botswana / Serowe / M. T. 6.xii.87’ (1ơ BMNH); 3^ paratypes, ‘ Botswana: Serowe #56 / Farmer’s Brigade / 22°25'S: 26°44'E 1000 m / Date: 28.xi.1990 / Coll: P. Forchhammer / Malaise Trap’; 1^ paratype, ‘ Botswana SE 2226BD / Forestry nursary. / ca. 6 km SE of Se- / rowe. Malaise trap 3 / Forchhammer. 1300 m. / 27-xi-84’; 2^ paratypes, ‘ Botswana SE 2226BD / Farmers Brigade 5 kms / SE of Serowe Hillside / N slope P. Forchhammer / 30-xi-84 / Malaise trap 2 / Mercury vapour lamp’. NAMIBIA: 1^ paratype, ‘ Namibia 28.iii.1984 / 15 km W Usakos. Rd 2/2 / 21 59'S: 15 30'E / Londt & Stuckenberg / Roadside vegetation – / flowers.’. SOUTH AFRICA: 1^ paratype, ‘ Soutpan [2258S 2920E], Zpbg. / 15–30 Nov. 1932 / G. van Son’; ơ holotype, 5 ơ 4^ paratypes, ‘mounted / from alcohol’, ‘ S. Africa: Transvaal / Ellisras [2340S 2744E] / Malaise trap / 22.xi.1978 / Brothers & J-Guillarmod’; 1^ paratype, ‘ South Africa: N Cape / Ca. 5 km E Augrabies Falls / National Park’s main gate / 28°37.284'S 020°16.576'E / 670 m J Londt & T Dikow / 4.ii.2004 Acacia savanna’; 3ơ 4^ paratypes, ‘ South Africa: N Cape / Tierberg Nature Reserve / 28°43.012'S 020°59.805'E / 830 m J Londt & T Dikow / 5.ii.2004 Rocky, sparsely / vegetated exposed hillside’.   
Distribution (Table 1), phenology (Table 2) and biology: Known from a few fairly widely separated localities within the Savanna Biome (Fig. 79). The species flies from November to March (no records for January). Material collected by me was swept from grass.  
 Similar species:A distinctive species with similarities to anassa, argos, aspros, meilloni and vumba (see discussion).
description: Published as part of Londt, Jason G. H., 2005, A review of afrotropical Afroholopogon Londt, 1994 with the description of a new genus and new species (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae), pp. 203-252 in African Invertebrates 46 (1937) on pages 218-219, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7666864