Enica sporanthera ( Hesse, 1956 ), 2025

Enica sporanthera ( Hesse, 1956) comb. nov.

Fig. 11 View Figure 11

Taxon depository.

ZooBank: https://zoobank.org/ 12C60B29-A951-413E-9E8A-6E73C7434B7A.

Diagnosis.

The species is distinguished from other species in the genus by the elongated black spot on the dorsal occiput in both males and females, which extends across the head.

Description.

Head: wider than high, creamy white; males holoptic, females dichoptic, vertex and compound eyes at same level; frons (at level of antennal insertion) more or less parallel-sided, female: similar to head, slightly darker than head, without dark spot, males: similar to head, slightly darker than head; frons black setose, with white scales, males no setation near eyes, females setose near eyes only dorsally; ocellar tubercle slightly raised, dark reddish brown to black, black macrosetose, white or light brown scales posteriorly; occiput collar of dense snow – white setose, white scales antero-dorsally, dorsal eye margin with dark brown to black spots present, touching or almost touching eye margin, never extending ventrally past level of antennae; gena creamy white, extremely sparsely setose.

Proboscis and maxillary palpus: proboscis straight, black; labella only forming distal tip of proboscis, apically rounded, minute black setose; maxillary palpus not extending beyond oral cavity, light brown to brown, light yellowish-brown setose.

Antenna: dark brown; scape creamy white, approximately as long as pedicel, black setose dorsally and ventrally, setae short, not extending to end of pedicel; pedicel brown or creamy white, short black setose dorsally; postpedicel dark brown, tapering distally, longer than scape and pedicel combined, white or light yellow scales dorsally; stylus reduced, only apical ‘ seta-like’ sensory element present, situated sub – apically in cavity on postpedicel.

Thorax: light orangish brown; scutum predominantly black, reddish on margins, grey to brown scales centrally and white scales peripherally; setation: acr setae present, black, dc setae present, black; prosternum silvery grey pubescence; proepisternum silvery grey pubescence, long yellowish-white setose, white scales; antepronotum silvery grey pubescence, dull white scales anteriorly; postpronotum silvery grey pubescence, asetose, with medial dark brown to black stripe; postpronotal lobe silvery grey pubescence, white scales, white and black setose; pleuron silvery grey pubescence; proepimeron silvery grey pubescence, asetose; anepisternum silvery grey pubescence, white scales ventrally, black macrosetose dorsally; anepimeron silvery grey pubescence, asetose; katepisternum silvery grey pubescence, white scales dorsally; laterotergite silvery grey pubescence, asetose; meron + metepisternum silvery grey pubescence, white scales dorsally; metepimeron silvery grey pubescence, asetose; scutellum red, anterior black spot, apubescent, ds sctl setae black macrosetose, ap sctl setae comprised of white scales, black setose.

Leg: light orangish brown, covered in scales, some regular setae present; pro coxa light orangish brown to brown, silvery grey pubescence, white scales, thin white setose, thick black setose; pro femur dorsally dark brown, ventrally orangish brown, white scales ventrally, brown scales dorsally, few short black setae; pro tibia light brown, raised short and fine dark brown setose ventrally, large black setose dorsally; mes coxa light orangish brown, white pubescence, white scales, thin white setose, thick black setose; mes femur dorsally dark brown, ventrally orangish brown, white scales ventrally, brown scales dorsally, few short black setae; mes tibia light brown, dark brown scales, long black setose, distal tip with long black setae; met coxa light orangish brown, white pubescent, white scales, thin white setose, thick black setose, anteriorly without any protuberance; met trochanter short black setose ventrally, white scales dorsally, without protuberance; met femur dorsally dark brown, ventrally orangish brown, white scales ventrally, brown scales dorsally, few short black setae; met tibia light brown, dark brown scales, large black setose, distal tip with long black macrosetae of varying sizes; proximal pro, mes, and met tarsomeres longer than following 2 tarsomeres combined, proximal met tarsomere as wide as following tarsomeres; pro tarsomere with dark brown scales dorsally, black setose ventrally; mes tarsomere with dark brown scales dorsally, black setose ventrally; met tarsomere with dark brown scales dorsally, black setose ventrally; claw smoothly arched distally.

Wing: 8.2–8.9 mm, microtrichia absent; membrane color pattern males: minimal spots of infuscation in r 2 + 3, br, and bm, females: darkly infuscated except for white tinted base of wing, r-r, r-m, base of r 2 + 3, base of m 2, m-cu, split between M 1 + 2 and M 3; costal vein dark brown short setose, whitish clear setose proximally; R 2 + 3 distally distinctly arching anteriorly, r 1 open; R 4 terminating anterior to wing apex, distinctly arching anteriorly; cell r 4 open, proximally R 4 and R 5 parallel, R 4 strongly diverging anteriorly in distal 2 / 3; R 5 terminating posterior to wing apex; r 5 open; M 1 terminating posterior to wing apex; cell d closed by base of M 2 and m-m, r-m situated in distal ¼; m 3 open; cua open; alula greatly reduced, nearly straight wing margin; haltere stem dark brown setose.

Abdomen: shape ovate, predominantly black anteriorly and red posteriorly; tergites smooth, setae with small sockets only; T 1 reddish yellow to light brown, light yellowish-brown to light whitish-brown setose, with scales; T 2 – T 7 predominantly reddish-orange, thin black setose, brown to light yellowish-brown and white scales, white scales on spots on posterior margins of T 2, rarely T 3, and T 4, single spot medially on T 2; S 1–8 predominantly light reddish-orange, yellow to white scales, thin black setose and long white setose; lateral margin many black setae extending away from abdomen, male T 8 white scales, black setose.

Terminalia: Male terminalia drawings in Hesse (1956, p 39): https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/40844174.

Material examined.

Holotype. South Africa – Northern Cape • 1 ♂ Bowesdorp Namaqualand ; 30°09'03"S, 017°55'55"E; Nov. 1931; SAM Museum Staff leg.; SAM-DIP-A 002173 , SAMC. GoogleMaps

Paratypes. South Africa – Northern Cape • 1 ♂ Klip Vlei, Garies Namaqualand ; 30°25'00"S, 017°54'00"E; Nov. 1931; SAM Museum Staff leg.; SAM-DIP-A 002174 , SAMC GoogleMaps .

South Africa – Western Cape • 1 ♂ Pakhuis Paas , east of; 32°07'40"S, 019°02'31"E; Sep. 1947; SAM Museum Staff leg.; SAM-DIP-A 002175 , SAMC GoogleMaps .

Other material.

South Africa – Northern Cape • 1 ♀ Bowesdorp Namaqualand ; 30°09'03"S, 017°55'55"E; Nov. 1931; SAM Museum Staff leg.; SAM-DIP-A 002173 , SAMC GoogleMaps .

Distribution, biodiversity hotspots, phenology, and biology.

Known from localities in the Northern Cape and Western Cape of South Africa (Fig. 9 View Figure 9 ). This species is known from 4 specimens, collected in three collecting events spread between 1952–2002. The species is known to occur in the Succulent Karoo and the Cape Floristic Region biodiversity hotspots. Adult flies are active from September - November (Table 2 View Table 2 ). Adult flies are presumed pollinators, as other species in the genus have been observed visiting flowers (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/64518819). Larvae are unknown but presumed parasitoids as other Bombyliidae , hosts are unknown ( Yeates and Greathead 1997).