Moegistorhynchus longirostris

Moegistorhynchus longirostris (Wiedemann, 1819) (Figs 1.1–1.3, 4.1–4.9, 9.5–9.6, 12) Nemestrina longirostris Wiedemann, 1819: 13. Moegistorhynchus longirostris; Bezzi, 1924: 189; Bernardi, 1973: 269; Bowden, 1980: 374. Type locality. Cape of Good Hope, Western Cape (assumed). Type material (holotype in ZMUC): South Africa: Western Cape: HOLOTYPE: ♂: “ ♂ ”; “Mus. / Westerm.”; “TYPE” [red card]; “ N. longirostris / Wied. / Cape Good Hope / Octb. 1817” [handwritten in Wiedemann’s hand]. Specimen associated with holotype: ♀: “ ♀ ”; “Mus. / Westerm.”; “TYPE” [red card]. The holotype and associated specimen are both in excellent condition. Given that the original description refers to a male only, the female is not considered to be part of the type series and is not labelled as a paratype. The holotype is appropriately labelled. Notes on the holotype and associated specimen. We located the male holotype of Nemestrina longirostris Wiedemann, 1819, in ZMUC. The holotype is appropriately labelled in Wiedemann’s hand and is also appropriately labelled “Mus. Westerman”. It is labelled “ Cape Good Hope” as noted (in Latin) in the original description. The holotype had previously been labelled as “ TYPE ” on red card. Other material: Western Cape: 2♂ 2♀, Atlantis, Silverstream, 33.5284 18.4454, 1 December 2017, Timo van der Niet, Feeding [on] P. longicaule (NMSA); 1♀, 5 km N Bloubergstrand, 16 November 1975, H. Geertsema (SANC); 1♂, Cape Peninsula, Miss Johns (SAMC); 31♂ 16♀, Graafwater, C.P., October 1947, Mus. Exp. (SAMC); 1♂, Graafwater, C.P., October 1947, Mus. Exp. (NMSA); 1♂, Lamberts Bay, 1 October 2008, L. McCleod (SAMC); 10♂ 5♀, Leipoldtville, Elands Bay, C.P., October 1947, Mus. Exp. (SAMC); 1♂, Mamre, 3318 CB, Silverstroomstrand, 26 November 1978, V.B. Whitehead (SAMC); 1♂, “ Montague ”, 1902, F.C. Purcell (SAMC); 1♀, Mowbray, November 1940, Miss Johns (SAMC); 1♀, 10 km NE Muizenberg, 3418AB, 28 November 1981, B.R. Stuckenberg, coastal macchia (NMSA); 1♂, Pella Mission St [ation], 20 October 2011, A. Morton (SAMC); 2♂, Silverstroom, 6 November 1995, on Pelargonium (SAMC); 3♂, Silverstroomstrand, 29 October 1993, on Pelargonium (SAMC); 6♂ 5♀, Strandfontein, False Bay, 1 November 1960 (SAMC); 1♂, West Coast National Park, 33°10’56’’S 18°03’45’’E, 30 m, 11 September 2001, J.G.H. & A. Londt, sandy areas, bushes, flowers (NMSA); 1♂, West Coast National Park, 10 October 2010, A. Morton (SAMC); 1♂, Yzerfontein, 22 October 1993, Lapeirousia (SAMC); 1♂ 1♀, Yzerfontein, 33°20’S 18°10’E, 1 November 1992, J. Manning, on Lapeirousia anceps (NMSA); 1♀, Yzerfontein, September 1960 (SAMC); 1♂, Yzerfontein (rt side of road), 30 October 1992, on Lapeirousia anceps (SAMC); 1♀, Zeekoevlei, Cape Town, 34.0614° S, 18.5152° E, 31 Oct. 2023, D.A. Barraclough, Visiting Pelargonium in garden (SAMC). Northern Cape: 2♂ 1♀, 20 km E. Hondeklip Bay, 5 September 2008, L. McCleod (SAMC); 1♂, 12 km E. Hondeklipbaai, 9 September 2006, L. McCleod (SAMC); 1♂, 8 km E. Hondeklip Bay, 21 August 2007, L. McCleod (SAMC); 1♀, Namaqua National Park, S30.411581 E17.415748, 29 August 2019, A. Melin & J.F. Colville, visiting Pelargonium praemorsum [DNA: 3 legs; RHS] (SAMC); 2♀, Spektakelberg Pass [about 25 km W of Springbok], 11 September 1993, Lapeirousia fabricii (NMSA); 1♂ 2♀, 7 km WNW of Wallekraal on road to Hondeklip Bay, 14–16 September 1992, F.W. and S.K. Gess, visiting cream long tubed fls (Iridaceae), flower: Engysiphon longitubus Lewis (AMGS). Diagnosis. Postpedicel mostly dark, but with striking paler basal annulation; style with two basal segments. Proboscis elongate to remarkably elongate, typically 2.0–5.5 x body length. Postalar callus smooth over entire surface. Wing with striking transparent or hyaline markings, such areas typically not an opaque creamy white. Second abdominal tergite dark medially and submedially, never entirely silver pruinescent across its width. Abdominal dorsum (especially in male) with posterolateral sections of T3 to T5 with dense and prominent clustering of (usually) dark pile on posterolateral extremities. Redescription (both sexes). Body length 11.66–17.73 mm (Fig. 4.1); wing length 11.54–19.90 mm; proboscis length 32 to 83 mm and possibly up to 90 mm (see Barraclough & Slotow 2010). Head (Figs 4.3–4.4): colouring yellow-brown to dark brown to black with scape and pedicel mostly yellow or yellow-brown. Postpedicel mostly dark brown to black but usually with striking or obvious yellow/orange basal annulation on both surfaces, although this can be variably developed or reduced. Male with anterior ocellus and posterior ocelli separated by transverse groove; anterior and posterior ocelli all about equidistant apart and therefore forming the three corners of an equilateral triangle, although posterior ocelli may be further apart; long black (pale posteriorly) pile between anterior ocellus and posterior ocelli or a mix of pale and dark pile or (rarely) all dark pile. Frons with elongate yellow pile (sometimes partly black posteriorly) over much of surface. Style of flagellum with two short black basal segments, subequal in length, second segment slightly longer or shorter. Proboscis strikingly elongate, length 2.0–5.5 x body length. Thorax (Figs 4.5–4.6): scutum pale, medium to dark brown and only ground colour beneath median and submedian vittae very dark (this black) although this mostly obscured by dense silver pruinescence; sometimes appearing yellow-brown in medial area at two-thirds distance between anterior margin and scuto-scutellar suture, this colouring may extend to scuto-scutellar suture. Paired median silver pruinescent vittae extend from anterior margin to two-thirds distance to scuto-scutellar suture or entire distance; at two-thirds position an inverted V-shaped extension of dark pruinescence extending backwards to scutellum. Scutellum very densely and broadly silver pruinescent anterolaterally and along posterior margin just posterior to disc; sometimes this pruinescence evident around entire margin. Pile on scutum sometimes a mixture of yellow and black, but usually mostly yellow; moderately elongate and profuse but largely sparse to absent (notably absent in Strandfontein specimens) on posterior half (although notably present on postalar calli and scutellum as sometimes sparse elongate hairs with more black hairs sometimes evident in female). Postalar callus lacking a noticeable acute cuticular protrusion near middle. Legs: mostly medium to darker brown or dark brown, but sometimes a paler yellow-brown. Fore femur with relatively elongate backwardly directed pale pile, this sometimes reaching up to two-fifths femur length. Mid and hind femora with sparse ventral pile (similarly coloured) along basal two-fifths to three-quarters of mid femur (sometimes very sparse or barely present) and along basal one- to two-thirds of hind femur, although sometimes very sparse or virtually absent. Wing (Fig. 4.7): relatively slender, length more than 3.5 x maximum width. Infuscation a medium to darker brown to grey, but sometimes with yellowish tinges. Patterning irregular and distributed over much of wing as in figure, although hyaline areas often dominate posteriorly; hyaline areas clearly distinguished and separate from brown colouring. CuP with one complete crossvein (rarely half complete) with appendix often present. Abdomen (Figs 4.8–4.9): relatively slender or moderately so and often broader than width of thorax. Ground colour mostly dark yellow-brown or dark brown to black and sometimes with hints of orange, although sometimes extensively orange; sometimes partly yellow on several sternites. T1 entirely dark brown to black with obvious silver pruinescence along anterior margin, except at midline (usually) or medially and (postero)laterally; pile dense and short, mostly yellow or white. T2 dark brown to black medially and submedially (may be faded in older specimens), with obvious silver pruinescence laterally; pile short, sometimes over entire surface. T3 largely medium to dark brown to black but sometimes orange-tinged or orange posteriorly or even laterally and medially, and with paired silver pruinescence/markings (irregularly transversely positioned) on anterior half to two-thirds, these markings may extend to lateral margins, meaning that silver pruinescence is confluent with silver pruinescence along lateral margins although posterior margin also often appearing silver pruinescent; pile sparse (may be mostly absent in female), pale and relatively short to moderately long on anterior one- to two-thirds or on most of surface, but with strikingly dense cluster of golden pile anterolaterally (may be shorter, less dense and yellowish) and dense (sometimes somewhat sparser) cluster of striking elongate black pile at posterolateral extremities (sometimes partly or mostly pale); in female clustering of pile along lateral margins may be reduced. T4 similar except paired silver pruinescent central markings roundish and sometimes mostly separated by brown ground colour from lateral silver pruinescence; pile typically present over much of surface and pale (sparse and mostly short to absent in female), sometimes dense and elongate and yellow or golden along entire posterior margin (except laterally), longest pile reaching up to two-thirds length of lateral margin, lateral margin with short (moderately) dense golden pile anteriorly (may be sparse and yellowish) and typically elongate and striking cluster of black pile posterolaterally (sometimes partly golden). T5 similarly patterned; pile sometimes moderately long on anterior two-thirds, absent along posterior margin and distributed along lateral margins as on T4 (mostly absent in female, except laterally); anterior cluster of golden pile may be barely visible and posterior cluster may be a mixture of golden and black or all golden. T6 with median brown area but otherwise silver pruinescent; pile short and sparse. Sternites yellow-brown to medium or dark brown; pil