Daspletis hirtus Ricardo. 1925

Daspletis hirtus Ricardo, 1925: 263.

Redescription: Based on all material examined including types (the Õ of which is now defective in that the terminal segments of the abdomen are missing).

Head (Fig. 11): Antenna (Fig. 12) orange-brown, scape dark red-brown; scape and pedicel with white bristles and setae; first fiagellomere with small apical pit enclosing a tiny spine. Face blackish, entirely silver pruinose; lower three-quarters quite strongly protruding. Mystax confined to facial protuberance, composed of long white bristles (longer than antennae) and white setae. Vertex blackish, entirely silver pruinose, equipped with white bristles and setae. Ocellarium moderately prominent; ocelli shiny yellowish; ocellar setae well-developed. Occiput blackish, silver pruinose, equipped with white bristles and setae; about 6 long, sinuous, white bristles dorsocentrally (behind occellarium). Proboscis dark, red-brotvn, about twice as long as antennae, with longish white setae ventrally. Palp blackish with long white setae.

Thorax: Pleura dark, rethbrown, entirely silver-gold pruinose, with white setae and bristles. Katatergite with a cluster (about 40) of long white bristles. Antepronotum with white setae and bristles (some of which are found on the lateral extremities). Anatergite with a good cluster of white setae laterally. Mesonotum dark, red-brown, entirely dull gold pruinose. Postpronotal lobes yellowish with ca. 5 weak whitish bristles and a group of white setae; ca. 7 notopleural bristles (usually 3 anteriorly, 4 posteriorly), ca. 4-5 supra-alars, ca. 3 postalars, all yellow-white. Dorsocentral bristles black, well developed and extending to anterior margin of mesonotum (some anterior ones may be yellowish). Posterior part of mesonotum with a well-developed median cluster of white setae. Scutellum with ca. 6 yellow-white long marginal bristles; disc with a few fine white setae only. Halters yellow-brown. Legs: brown-yellow except for all femora, which are dark red-brown with proximal and distal tips brown-yellow, and hind tibia are as femora but have a brown-yellow strip along dorsal parts. Coxac dark red-brown. Bristles and setae long, well developed, white. Claws black with brown-yellow bases. Wings: 732- 113 mm long; 2,4-3,5 mm wide (Zimbabwe specimens smaller than those from northern Cape Province}; holotype 3,4 X 2,6 mm. Membrane transparent, colourless in both sexes. Venetian orange and dark brown. Cells r5 and m; closed and stalked, mp narrowly open or closed on wing margin.

Abdomen: Torga and sterna of d‘ dark red-brown to black, entirely silver-gold pruinose. 9 terga with brown lateral and posterior margins, sterna orange-brown especially distal ones; only tg 1-4 pruinose. ci genitalia shiny black, apruinose. All setae white; long in Õ shorter in S? Setas on segments 4-7 directed anteriorly. d genitalia as in Figs 13- 15.

Variation: Minimal. Q has more orange-brown on legs (especially femora), thorax (notably the postpronotal lobes) and abdomen.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. ZIMBABWE: 1 ♂ (now defective) holotype, 1 ♀ paratype, Sawmills, 12. ii (or xi). 1 9 20, Rhodesian Museum (BMNH); 1 ♂ Sawmills, 23.i i (or xi). 1922, Rhodesian Museum (NM); 1 ♂ 1 ♀, Sawmills, l 4. xi. 19 24, R. H. R. Stevenson (NM). SOUTH AFRICA: Cape Province: 3 ♂ 7 ♀, Kalahari Gemsbok Park, Nossob R. 35 km N camp, 262oBD, 21. iii. 1982, J. Londt & L. Schoeman, Dry riverbed veget. (NM); 4 ♂ 1 ♀, 15 km S Twee Rivieren, 262oDA, 21. iii. 1982, J. Londt & L. Schoeman, Dry roadside veget. (NM); 1 ♀ (paratype of D. salicior), Twee Rivieren, 11 -20. ii.1958, Kalahari Gemsbok Park Expedition (NM); 3 ♂ 5 ♀, 85 km W Vanzylsrus, 2721 AB, 22.iii. 1 9 82, J. Londt & L. Schoeman, Dry area Shrubs/sand (NM); 1 ♂, 65 km SE Noenieput, 272 0DC, 2 0. iii. 19 82, J. Londt & L. Schoeman Kloof/Green Shrubs (NM); 1 ♀, 20 km N of Noenieput, 2720AC, 2 0. iii.1 982, J. Londt & L. Schoeman, Roadside vegetation (NM); 1 ♀, 25 km N of Noenieput on road to Koopan-Suid, 20. iii. 1982, J. Londt & L. Schoeman, Thick veget./ trees (NM).

,

Remarks: Two ♀ specimens were captured with prey (Lepidoptera- a butterfly, Colotit agoye bowkeri (Trimen)), and an unidentified moth.