Ommatius (Pygommatius) talus Scarbrough & Marascia 2003, sp. n.
Creators: name: Scarbrough, Aubrey G.
name: Marascia, Claudio G.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2003
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Diptera
Asilidae
Ommatius
Ommatius talus

description: Ommatius (Pygommatius) talus, sp. n.
Figs. 21, 218­225
Male. Black. Length, body 8.1­10.0 mm; wing 6.5­7.1 mm. Head: Yellowish­gray to gray tomentose; mostly yellowish setose. Face with sparse setae, short dorsally, long ventrally; 3­4 pencil­like, yellow and 4­6 long, thin brown bristles present; FHWR 1.0:5.1­1.0:5.5. Proboscis ventrally with narrow base yellow to brownish­yellow. Frons yellow tomentose, brown setose. Occiput with 4­5 brown, postocular bristles dorsally, longest bristle with apex above ocellar tubercle.
Thorax: Mesonotum mostly tomentose dorsally, wide, median stripe and 2 lateral tomentose spots present, tomentum elsewhere brownish gray to yellowish­gray; vestiture sparse, brown, with 4 lateral and 2 posterior dorsocentral bristles. Scutellum yellow tomentose, sparse, short, yellow setae and 2 brown marginal bristles present. Pleuron entirely brown; light yellowish­gray to yellow tomentose with white to yellow vestiture; 1­ 2 katatergal bristles sometimes brown. Halter yellow to brownish­yellow.
Wing (Fig. 21): Apical half and narrow posterior margin dense microtrichose. Cell r 4 with vein R 5 convex medially. Apex of cell m 3 slightly oblique, near r­m.
Leg: Fore coxa yellow, posterior 2 coxae and trochanters brown; coxae gray tomentose with sparse, usually thin, yellow vestiture, sometimes 1­3 brown setae present. Femora with apical third to two­thirds brown, otherwise yellow, vestiture mostly or entirely brown; interface of brown and yellow colors abrupt, gradual transition of one color to another absent. Middle femur ventrally slightly concave basally; long, brown or yellow anteroventral setae present; 3­4 long, yellow or brown, posteroventral bristles present basally. Hind femur with brown bristles, anterior bristles unusually long, seta­like; longest anterior bristles about half as long as hind femur; 4­5 irregularly spaced, short, thick, posteroventral bristles present; HFWLR 1.0:5.6­1.0:5.8. Tibiae mostly pale yellow with numerous, long, thin bristles laterally; apex of middle tibia and basal third of hind tibia brownish; hind tibia with apical third brown. Tarsi black except basal tarsomere of fore and middle tarsi and second tarsomere of fore tarsus largely pale yellow, each with 1 yellow lateral bristle; hind tarsus entirely black.
Abdomen: Mostly yellowish­brown tomentose dorsally; tergite 1, basal third of tergite 2, and all sternites more yellow; apical margin of tergite 6 medially slightly produced; tergites 6­7 laterally with fringe of short setae, yellow on 6, black on 7. Sternite 3 with 7­8 long, yellow bristles; sternites 4­5 with 12­13 much shorter, thicker bristles, the latter mixed yellow and black on sternite 4 and all black on sternite 5. Sternites 6­7 with thin, short black bristles.
Terminalia (Figs. 218­222): Epandrium 3 branched; dorsal branch flat, about twothirds as long as cercus, apically spatulate; median branch stylate, slightly sigmoid; ventral branch flat, wider and shorter, than median branch. Hypandrium basally heel­like, a horizontal ‘tuft’ of short setae and thick bristles present; several bristles fused, projecting posteriorly at a right angle as a short stalk with a spoon­like apex.
Female. Differs from male as follows. Length, body 7.6­8.5 mm; wing 6.1­7.2 mm. Face: FHWR 1.0:5.1­1.0:5.5. Thorax: Anepimeral seta sometimes bristly, often brown. Leg: Unusual vestiture of male absent. Hind femur with only long, thin, brown bristles, setae sparse or absent; HFWLR 1.0:5.9­1.0:6.0. Abdomen: Mostly brown tomentose with dark setae, slightly lighter ventrally with pale setae. Most tergites apically with 2­3 thin, brown setae; sternites without unusual pattern of ventral bristles. Tergite 9 with deep emargination apically, strap­like dorsomedially. Sternites 3­5 with only sparse, thin, pale setae. Terminalia (Figs. 223­225): Three spermathecae present, duct prebasal and lateral. Sternite 8 with apical margin triangular, slightly arched forward, usually concealed in dry specimens; apex narrowly membranous.
SPECIMENS EXAMINED. Holotype ♂, allotype ♀, CÔTE D'IVOIRE: south / side of lle Boulay near / Abidjan 22.vi.1989 / 05°16'N: 04°09'W / JGH Londt Cassava Land / bushy margin (NMSA). Paratypes: BENIN: 3 ♂, 1 ♀, Cotonou / viii.1978 / J. David (MNHN); 3 ♂, 3 ♀, Cotonou / 10­28.viii.1977 / J. David (MNHN); CÔTE D'IVOIRE: 1 ♂, 2 ♀, Bouake' / Foro­Foro / 16­17.x.74 / G. Couturier, PM5 B / lisière forestière ~ O. R.S. T.O.M. (MNHN); 1 ♂, 3 ♀, Bouake' / Foro­Foro / 16.x.74 / G. Couturier ~ forêt galarie ~ O. R.S. T.O.M. (MNHN); 2 ♂, 6 ♀, Bouake' / Foro­Foro / 17.x.74 / G. Couturier ~ M5B / forêt galarie ~ O. R.S. T.O.M. (MNHN); 1 ♀, Bouake' Foro­Foro / 3.xii.74 / G. Couturier (MNHN); 5 ♀ [1 without abdomen], lisière / Forestiére / Foro Foro / 11.vi.74 / G. Coutuier F. no. 1, 2 ~ O. R.S. T.O.M. ~ lisière forestiére (MNHN); 1 ♀, Lisiere / Gal. For. Bord. / 12.xi.70 (MNHN); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, F. Galarie / Metreo / Foro Foro / 17.v.74 ~ O. R.S. T.O.M. ~ forêt galerie (MNHN); 1 ♂, 2 ♀, Lisiere / F. Plateau / Foro­ Bourke' / 24.vii.74 / G. Couturier ~ O. R. S. T. O. M. ~ lisière forestière (MNHN); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Galerie / Forestiere D'un / Marigot Temporaire / 18­19.x.73 (14h) (MNHN); 4 ♀, Lamto / 10.ix.1970, 28.ix.1970, 13.x.1970 / D. Lachaise (MNHN); 1 ♀, Lamto / 28.ix.1970 / D. Lachaise, Forêt Galerie, (MNHN); 3 ♀, Lamto / 23.ix.1970 / D. Lachaise ~ piège lumineux, (MNHN); 4 ♂, 9 ♀, Lamto / 9.ix.1970, 10.ix.1970, 11.ix.1970, 12.ix.1970, 15.ix.1970, 9.x.1970 / D. Lachaise ~ lisière / Forêt Galerie (MNHN); 1 ♂, 3 ♀ [1 without head], Galerie / Forestiere ~ 15h10.vi.71 / 15h, Lamto / D. Lachaise (MNHN); 3 ♀, Ficus capensis / Moracess / 15­18.x.73 / 9h,15h,17h (MNHN); 1 ♂, 3 ♀, Forêt de / Plateau / Foro­Bourke' / 3.vii.74 / G. Couturier (MNHN); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, F. Plateau / Foro­Bourke' / 23.vii.74 / G. Couturier ~ O. R. S. T. O. M. ~ lisière forestière (MNHN); 2 ♂, 2 ♀, Adiopodoume' / 20, 31.x.73 / G. Couturier (MNHN); 1 ♀, Classie / Adiopodoume' / 14.iv.1974 / G. Couturier (MNHN); 1 ♀, Fauch Quant. / 3.xii.70 / GFB (MNHN); 1 ♂, Fauvh. Q. / E 2 21.ix (MNHN); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Lamto / D. Lachaise, Savane D / 24.vi.71 / Fauchage (MNHN); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, F. Galerie / M5 / Foro­Bourké / 25.vii.74 ~ G. Couturier ~ forèt galerie ~ O. R. S. T. O. M. (MNHN); 1 ♀, Foro­Foro / champ. de pomme / Foro­ Bourké / 30.x.74 / G. Couturier (MNHN); 1 ♀, Foro­Foro / 30.viii.74 / G. Couturier ~ forèt galerie (MNHN); 1 ♂, Forèt / Galerie / Foro­Foro / 10.vi.74 / G. Couturier ~ O. R. S. T. O. M. ~ forèt galerie (MNHN); 1 ♂, Bourké F. Foro / 1.vii.74 / G. Couturier, piège coloré / transect A (MNHN); 1 ♂, Saba Kaba / 29.x.74 / G. Couturier. (MNHN); 1 ♂, 15.viii.1972 / vive de Berdama Blanc / radier de la route de / Tort a à Niakaramandou­ / Gou, 5 o 32'W­ 8 o 46'N / J. Hamon (MNHN); 1 ♀, Savane 7 on / BržlŽe a / Junperata / Bay de Pente ~ Zone Aframomum / Bosquet / 7.i.71 ~ Lamto / D. Lachaise (MNHN); 1 ♂, Bas Fond Savane Nombrulee ~ Lamto ~ 22.vi.71 ~ D. Lachaise (MNHN); 1 ♂, Fruit E / 22.iv.71 / Galerie ~ Annona senegalensis ~ Lamto / D. Lachaise (MNHN); 1 ♀, Contact / Savane / loudetia, savane / nord / 27.iii.71 ~ Lamto / D. Lachaise (MNHN); 1 ♂, Lamto / 12.xii.1970 / D. Lachaise, Ronier Abattu (B) ~ (MNHN); 1 ♀, Lamto / D. Lachaise ~ Bandama / 22.ii.71 (MNHN); 1 ♂, Séguéla ~ Ranch de la Marahoue F 2 m / 8 o 15’N 6 o 20’0 / vii.1981 / J. W. Everts (ZMAN); CONGO: 1 ♀, 1907 ~ Museum Paris / Congo Français / Env. de Brazzaville / E. Roubaud and A. Weiss (MNHN). GHANA: 2 ♀, 30 m / E. Accra on Takorodi rd / 2.ii.1969 / O. W. Richards / B. M. 1969­210 (BMNH); 2 ♀, N. territories / Vari / ix.1915 / J. J. Simpson (BMNH); 1 ♂, Gold Coast / Winnebach / 21.x.1919 / J. M. O'Brien (BMNH); 1 ♀, Gold Coast / Accra / v.1922 / J. M. Scott Macfie (BMNH); 1 ♂, Gold Coast / Nehama Rd / 27.xi.1922 (BMNH); 1 ♂, Gold Coast / Accra / 2.v.1911 / Dr. J. M. O’Brien ~ Bungalow / Accra / noon / 2.v.11 (BMNH); 1 ♀, Laboratory / window / 11 AM / 6.vi.12 / Accra (BMNH); 1 ♂, 3 ♀, Ejura / J. Bowden (BMNH); 1 ♀, 5 mi S. / Calumpe ~ 100 m / 2.ix.1966 / E. S. Ross and K. Lorenzen (CASC). NIGERIA: 2 ♂, 3 ♀, Olokemeji / Ibadan / Nigeria ~ Bridgewell Collection (USNM); 1 ♂, 2 ♀, Ile­Ife / 2.viii.1969 / J. T. Medler (BMNH); 1 ♀, Ibadan / 22.vii.1963 / J. C. Denning (BMNH); 1 ♀, Owena / W. State 20.vii.1969 / J. T. Medley (BMNH); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Opobo / S. Nigeria / Dr. Collett / v.1910 1910­336 (BMNH); 1 ♂, 7.vii.74 Ibadan / J. ­G. Pointel (NMHN); 1 ♂, Oron / 19.ix.1983 C. C. Farivar (DEBU); 1 ♀, Ilorin 300m / 10.ix.1966 / E. S. Ross and / E. Lorenzen. (CASC).
Distribution. A savanna­forest species captured throughout the year in West Africa, ranging from Côte d'Ivoire southward to the Republic of Congo.
Etymology. Latin talus, for ‘heel’, referring to the basal shape of the male terminalia.
Remarks. In addition to the characters in the key, the abrupt color change from brown to yellow of the legs, the shapes of cells r 4, m 1, and m 3 (Fig. 21), middle femur of the male slightly concave ventrally, and vestiture of the middle and hind femora of the male further characterize O. talus.
description: Published as part of Scarbrough, Aubrey G. & Marascia, Claudio G., 2003, Revision of Ommatius Wiedemann (Diptera: Asilidae). IV. Pygommatius subgen. nov. with twenty-five Afrotropical species, pp. 1-94 in Zootaxa 228 (1) on pages 58-60, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.228.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5019043