Enica imitata ( 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 imitata ( Hesse, 1956) comb. nov.

Fig. 8

Taxon depository.

ZooBank: https://zoobank.org/ B9E4599C-A9B0-4162-AB1D-8E79EF2D72B8.

Diagnosis.

The species is distinguished from other species in the genus by the white scales present on the occiput, additionally two dark elongated spots can be seen on the dorsal margin of the occiput. Metathoracic femur has white scales ventrally and brown scales dorsally.

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, with dark brown to black triangular spot extending to eyes, 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 whitish – yellow setose, brown setose on occiput spots, 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, brown setose.

Antenna: dark brown; scape creamy white, approximately as long as pedicel, black setose dorsally and ventrally, setae extending to tip of pedicel; pedicel reddish brown or dark brown, 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: reddish brown and light orangish brown; scutum predominantly black, reddish on margins, grey to brown scales centrally and white scales peripherally, with white scales in two short anterior stripes sub – medially; 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 light brown and white scales, black setose or white scales, black setose.

Leg: dark brown, covered in scales, some regular setae present; pro coxa dark reddish brown, silvery grey pubescence, white scales, thick black setose; pro femur dark 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 dark reddish brown, white pubescence, white scales, thick black setose; mes femur dark 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 dark reddish 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 dark 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: 7.8–9.0 mm, microtrichia absent; membrane color pattern males: slightly 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, middle of br and basal portion of r 1, 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, black; tergites smooth, setae with small sockets only; T 1 predominantly black, no red or a very thin line of red posteriorly, snow – white setose, with scales; T 2 – T 7 predominantly black, light brown setose, white scales, white scales on spots on posterior margins of T 2 and T 4, single spot medially on T 2; S 1–8 predominantly black with reddish brown, dense snow – white scales, thin black setose and long white setose; lateral margin black setae remaining close to abdomen, male T 8 white scales, black setose.

Terminalia: gonocoxites longer than wide, broader at base, convex basally with straight apical third, fused almost completely with phallus, with short, fine hairs apically; gonostylus with sharp projection; phallus inflated and helmet-like at base, apically separating from gonocoxite, slightly curving back towards gonocoxite; lateral aedegal apodeme round, extending laterally; ejaculatory apodeme long, rounded in lateral view, extending significantly past anterior margin of the gonocoxites, ending under lateral strut. (Fig. 4 A, C )

Material examined.

Holotype. South Africa – Western Cape • 1 ♂ Moordenaars Karoo Lammerfontein ; 32°58'02"S, 020°48'56"E; Oct. 1952; SAM Museum Staff leg.; SAM-DIP-A 002172 , SAMC

Paratype. South Africa – Western Cape • 1 ♂ Moordenaars Karoo Lammerfontein ; 32°58'02"S, 020°48'56"E; Oct. 1952; SAM Museum Staff leg.; SAM-DIP-A 002172 , SAMC

Other material.

South Africa – Northern Cape • 1 ♀ Calvinia , 12 km S; 31°34'10"S, 019°43'56"E; 1080 m a. s. l.; 07 Sep. 2002; Londt, Jason leg.; sandy roadside; NMSA -DIP-84590 , NMSA • 1 ♂ Sutherland, 18 km N, Renoster River Area ; 32°15'10"S, 020°41'39"E; 1290 m a. s. l.; 07 Nov. 1998; Londt, Jason leg.; Karoo Macchia; NMSA -DIP-90025 , NMSA • 1 ♀ Sutherland, 18 km N, Renoster River Area ; 32°15'10"S, 020°41'39"E; 1290 m a. s. l.; 07 Nov. 1998; Londt, Jason leg.; Karoo Macchia; NMSA -DIP-90027 , NMSA .

Distribution, biodiversity hotspots, phenology, and biology.

Known from localities in the Northern Cape and Western Cape of South Africa (Fig. 5 ). This species is known from 5 specimens, collected in 3 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 ). 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 4. Lateral and ventral view of Enica male terminalia. Terminalia of Enica imitata NMSA - DIP- 90025 (A, C); Terminalia of Enica adelphe sp. nov. NMSA - DIP- 89520 (B, D). Abbreviations: b ph = base of phallus; ej apod = ejaculatory apodeme; goncx = gonocoxite; gonst = gonostylus; lat aed apod = lateral aedeagal apodeme; ph = phallus. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 5. Map of southern Africa with elevational relief and biodiversity hotspots (sensu Conservation International in grey) and distribution of E. imitata and E. adelphe sp. nov. specimens studied.

Figure 8. Enica henicoides ♀ SAM-DIP-A 002170 (A – C) A habitus, dorsal view B habitus, lateral view C habitus, frontal view; Enica imitata ♀ NMSA - DIP- 90027 (D – F) D habitus, frontal view E habitus, dorsal view F habitus, lateral view. Scale bars: 5 mm.