Enica clavicornis ( Hesse, 1956 ), 2025

Rollinson, Lisa & Cabrero, Allan, 2025, Species discovery in Southern African bee flies (Diptera, Bombyliidae): A new species in the revised genus Enica Macquart, 1834, African Invertebrates 66 (1), pp. 73-115 : 73-115

Enica clavicornis ( Hesse, 1956) comb. nov.

Fig. 6

Taxon depository.

ZooBank: https://zoobank.org/ A4E281A4-196C-46DE-83F0-93D4E9CF0777.

Diagnosis.

The species is distinguished from other species in the genus by the light creamy tan flattened setae on the haltere and the club-shaped postpedicel.

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: light brown to reddish-orange, darker than head, without dark spot, males: similar to head, slightly darker than head; frons black setose, with white scales, broadly setose near eyes, extending ventral to antennae; ocellar tubercle slightly raised, dark reddish brown to black, black macrosetose, white or light brown scales posteriorly or black and light yellow macrosetose, white or light brown scales posteriorly; occiput whitish – yellow setose, brown setose on occiput spots, white scales antero-dorsally, dorsal eye margin with dark brown to black spots not more than three times as long as wide, absent in males; gena creamy white, whitish – yellow 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, white and black setose laterally and dorsally, setae short, not extending to end of pedicel; pedicel creamy white, short black setose dorsally; postpedicel dark brown, proximal bulb with elongated distal part, 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 medially black, red around margins, red sometimes extends in medial line from behind head to center of thorax, yellowish-white to white scales with two submedial longitudinal stripes of white scales; 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, light yellow scales anteriorly; postpronotum silvery grey pubescence, asetose, with medial dark brown to black stripe; postpronotal lobe silvery grey pubescence, long white flattened setose; pleuron silvery grey pubescence; proepimeron silvery grey pubescence, asetose; anepisternum silvery grey pubescence, long white scales ventrally, black macrosetose and white setose dorsally; anepimeron silvery grey pubescence, long white scales, white setose; katepisternum silvery grey pubescence, long white scales dorsally; laterotergite silvery grey pubescence, asetose; meron + metepisternum silvery grey pubescence, long white scales dorsally; metepimeron silvery grey pubescence, asetose; scutellum light orangish red, slight anterior black spot, apubescent, ds sctl setae black macrosetose, ap sctl setae comprised of light brown and white scales, black setose, white scales, black setose or yellowish-white scales.

Leg: light orangish brown, covered in scales, some regular setae present; pro coxa light orangish brown, silvery grey pubescence, white scales, thin white setose, thick black setose; pro femur light orangish brown, white scales proximally, brown scales distally, thick black setose ventrally; pro tibia light brown, raised short and fine light brown setose ventrally, large black setose dorsally; mes coxa light orangish brown, white pubescence, white scales, thin white setose, thick black setose; mes femur light orangish brown, white scales proximally, brown scales distally, thick black setose ventrally; mes tibia light brown, light 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 light orangish brown, white scales proximally, brown scales distally, long and thick black setose ventrally; met tibia light brown, light 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 brown scales dorsally, black setose ventrally; mes tarsomere with brown scales dorsally, black setose ventrally; met tarsomere with brown scales dorsally, black setose ventrally; claw smoothly arched distally.

Wing: 9.1–10.1 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 light yellowish-brown setose.

Abdomen: shape ovate, reddish-orange with a black spot on T 2, middle of T 3; 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 scales, scales uniformly colored throughout; S 1–8 predominantly light reddish-orange, yellow to white scales, thin black setose and long white setose; lateral margin black setae remaining close to abdomen, male T 8 dull, light yellow scales, black setose.

Terminalia: Male terminalia drawings in Hesse (1956, p 45): https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/40844180.

Material examined.

Holotype. South Africa – Northern Cape • 1 ♂ Hondeklip-Baai ; 30°18'47"S, 017°16'30"E; 11 Nov. 1933; van Son, G. leg.; NMSA -DIP-051430 , NMSA

Paratypes. South Africa – Northern Cape • 1 ♂ Wallekraal ; 30°23'18"S, 017°30'32"E; Oct. 1950; SAM Museum Staff leg.; SAM-DIP-A 002151 , SAMC

South Africa – Western Cape • 1 ♂ Eland’s Bay, Leipoldtville ; 32°18'44"S, 018°20'29"E; Nov. 1948; SAM Museum Staff leg.; SAM-DIP-A 002152 , SAMC • 1 ♀ Eland’s Bay, Leipoldtville ; 32°18'44"S, 018°20'29"E; Nov. 1948; SAM Museum Staff leg.; SAM-DIP-A 002152 , SAMC • 1 ♂ Eland’s Bay, Leipoldtville ; 32°18'44"S, 018°20'29"E; Nov. 1948; SAM Museum Staff leg.; SAM-DIP-A 002152 , SAMC • 1 ♂ Eland’s Bay, Leipoldtville ; 32°18'44"S, 018°20'29"E; Nov. 1948; SAM Museum Staff leg.; SAM-DIP-A 002152 , SAMC • 1 ♂ Eland’s Bay, Leipoldtville ; 32°18'44"S, 018°20'29"E; Nov. 1948; SAM Museum Staff leg.; SAM-DIP-A 002152 , SAMC • 1 ♂ Eland’s Bay, Leipoldtville ; 32°18'44"S, 018°20'29"E; Nov. 1948; SAM Museum Staff leg.; SAM-DIP-A 002152 , SAMC .

Other material.

South Africa – Northern Cape • 1 ♀ Hondeklip-Baai ; 30°18'47"S, 017°16'30"E; 11 Nov. 1933; van Son, G. leg.; SAM-DIP-A 002150 , SAMC .

South Africa – Western Cape • 1 ♀ Lutzville , 6 km NE; 31°35'43"S, 018°22'55"E; 35 m a. s. l.; 29 Sep. 2009; Londt, Jason, Dikow, Torsten leg.; red vegetated sand dune, woody fynbos; NMSA -DIP-93557 , NMSA • 1 ♂ Lutzville , 6 km NE; 31°35'43"S, 018°22'55"E; 35 m a. s. l.; 29 Sep. 2009; Londt, Jason, Dikow, Torsten leg.; Red vegetated sand dune, woody fynbos; NMSA -DIP-93558 , NMSA .

Distribution, biodiversity hotspots, phenology, and biology.

Known from localities in the Northern Cape and Western Cape of South Africa (Fig. 7 ). This species is only known from 11 specimens, collected in 4 collecting events spread between 1933–2009. The species is known to occur in the Succulent Karoo biodiversity hotspot. Adult flies are active from September - November (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).

Figures

Figure 6. Enica clavicornis ♂ NMSA - DIP- 93558 (A – C) A habitus, dorsal view B habitus, lateral view C habitus, frontal view; Enica eremophila ♂ NMSA - DIP- 93041 (D – F) D habitus, frontal view E habitus, dorsal view F habitus, lateral view. Scale bars: 5 mm.

Figure 7. Map of southern Africa with elevational relief and biodiversity hotspots (sensu Conservation International in grey) and distribution of E. eremophila, E. syrticola and E. clavicornis specimens studied.