Trichardis grisescens : Engel 1924

Trichardis grisescens Engel, 1924

Figs 19, 20

Trichardis grisescens Hermann, 1920: 178. Nomen nudum.

Trichardis grisescens: Engel 1924: 108; Hull 1962: 97; Oldroyd 1980: 356 (catalogue).

Redescription (based on holotype in excellent condition):

Head: Orange anteriorly, red-brown posteriorly; entirely silvery pruinose. Antenna brown-orange except for red-brown distal part of postpedicel and style, pale yellow setose; postpedicel clavate (L:D=2.3:1). Mystax uniformly yellow-white. Ocellar tubercle with 2 macrosetae. Proboscis and palpi red-brown.

Thorax: Orange-brown with some darker red-brown parts, extensively silver pruinose, macrosetae pale yellow, setulae shiny pale yellow. Postpronotum entirely pruinose, mesonotum with red-brown dorsal stripe and lateral broad bands, extensively pruinose except for darker red-brown areas. Scutellum pruinose (except for narrow posterior margin).Anepisternum with pale yellow posterior macroseta, dorsally pruinose, ventrally apruinose. Proepimeron pruinose anteriorly, apruinose posteriorly; katepisternum pruinose posteriorly, apruinose anteriorly; anepisternum pruinose posteroventrally, apruinose anterodorsally. Legs: Orange-brown (but femora, tarsomere 5 and hind tibiae darker), pulvilli and empodium of similar length. Hind femur red-brown, length:height ratio 3.6:1, ventral tubercles poorly developed. Hind tibia lacking ventrodistal spur. Wing: 5.3× 1.9 mm. Costal vein extends around most of wing margin, weak along anal cell, absent from alula. Membrane extensively lacking microtrichiae—discal and r 5 cells entirely lacking microtrichiae.

Abdomen: Red-brown, apruinose, macrosetae pale yellow, setulae shiny white. T2 red-brown, apruinose.

ơ genitalia (Figs 19, 20): Epandrium in lateral view longer than basal part of gonocoxite (i.e. excluding distal projection of gonocoxite and gonostylus). Proctiger moderately dorsoventrally compressed. Hypandrium reduced, with somewhat pointed distal end and simple structure. Gonocoxite in ventral view without median projections and distally with a single short, stout macroseta; mediodistal projection slender with slightly upturned distal end. Gonostylus long, slender with straight distal end. Aedeagal prongs slightly sinuous, with small trifurcate tip.

Holotype (examined): GAMBIA: ơ ‘Essan [?Essau, 13°29'N: 16°32'W] / Gambia. / J. J. Simpson./ 25.iv.1910 ’, ‘Sammlung / F.Hermann’, ‘Type von / Trichardis / grisescens H.i.l. / Engel’ [orange], ‘Ost-Africa / Trichardis / grisescens / Type Hrm’ [pink] (ZSMC). Note: Although Engel (1924) attributed the species to ‘Herm. In litt.’, and the specimen is labelled ‘Type Hrm’, this action has no validity and Engel himself must be credited with authorship.

Other material examined: ETHIOPIA: 1^Mério Bourié Bord de la Riv Omo [04°31'N: 35°59'E], 600 m, ii.1932 –33 [?], Arambourg, Chappuis & Jeannel (MNHN). GAMBIA: 1 ơ Outside Abuko Nat. Res. at Waterworks [13°24'N: 16°39'W], at light 19.00–20.00, Loc. No. 6. UTM28pk214812, 26.ii.1977, Lund Univ. Syst. Dept. Sweden (MZLU); 1^[ has a holotype label placed by J.E. Chainey 1984, but is not a type], Essan [?Essau], 25.iv.1919, Simpson (BMNH); 2^Karantaba Tenda [13°33'N: 14°34'W], 23.iii.[19]75, Nth Bank on stony river shore, W.F. Snow (OXUM); 1^[ has a ‘typus’ label, but is not a type], Jalokunda [Jalo Kunda, 13°47'N: 15°00'W], 17.iii.1911, Simpson (BMNH); 1^Gambia, 16.iii.1911, Simpson (BMNH). KENYA: 1^Archers Post [00°39'N: 37°41'E], 15.i.1973, Bampton; 1^Nairobi National Park [01°16'S: 36°46'E], 16.xi.1969, Irwin & Ross (CASC); 2^Kiboko [02°11'S: 37°43'E], 24.ii.1968, Hussey (BMNH); 1 ơ Kiboko, 28.ii.1968, Hussey (BMNH). SENEGAL: 1^Camon [?Gamon, 13°20'N: 12°55'W] Oriental Re [gion]., 14.v.1966, Harvey (NMNH).

Distribution and biology:A widespread species having been collected in both West Africa (Senegal, Gambia) and East Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya) and both north and south of the equator. Adults fly between November and May (no records for December) (Table 1). Label data do not provide insights into the habitat requirements of the species.Although Engel and Cuthbertson (1939) records the following for grisescens —‘In S. Rhodesia [Zimbabwe] this species is known from the Nyamandhlovu district, Matabeleland, and Urungwe, Lomagundi district. At Kariba Gorge, Zambezi River, it is found on leafstrewn ground in September. The prey consists of leaf-hoppers and small Hymenoptera (teste W.L. Williams). Rhodesian specimens (males) are much larger than the types which came from Gambia.’—the accepted distribution indicates that these notes must refer to another species.

Similar species: T. grisescens has an entirely pruinose postpronotal lobe and in this respect can be grouped with apicalis, ornata, picta, terminalis, testacea, turneri, and zinidi. The species is, however, most similar to terminalis.