Dichtha inflata, Gerstaecker, 1854 (Probably) and Namibian Independence.

So tomorrow (well, today, if you're further East than Jakarta), is the day that Namibia celebrates its independence from South Africa, fully realised in 1990.

Which I thought I would commemorate by putting up a vaguely Namibian photo, which becomes a touch more complex when I note that I have never actually been to Namibia.

This shouldn't really be a problem - the Caprivi strip takes up a significant chunk of Zambia's southern border, and a fair number of species occur widely in both countries. The issue arose because I wanted something that more specifically said 'Namibia!' - an Icon, if you like. The obvious choices are therefore on Namibia's coat of arms: Oryx (or Gemsbok) and African fish eagle. The former I've only managed to photograph in captivity, and the latter, if I had a good enough picture, would be reserved for Zambian independence.

Another problem was that these are both vertebrates, as have been my last three posts, and I can get a little sick of backbones from time to time.

But then it struck me:

Photographed in New Kasama, Lusaka, Zambia in March 2013, using Olympus E-420 with Zuiko 40-150mm lens and 2 KOOD magnifiers.

This is a member of a group of animals that I really think of when I think of Namibia. In Afrikaans, it's a Toktokkie, one of a number of darkling beetles who tap their abdomens against the ground to attract mates.
Although representatives are found across much of Africa, the association of a number of endemic and near-endemic species with the Namib desert has made them an icon, for me at least, of the region.

Without further ado, then, this is (almost certainly):

Dichtha inflata

Gerstaecker, 1854

However, it's worthy of note that this follows a rather convoluted method of identification, and so I can't actually cite a source... sorry... 

Anyway, provided that I've not starting barking up altogether the wrong tree, D. inflata belongs to: 

 - Molurina  

- Sepidiini     

- Pimelinae     

- Tenebrionidae
- Tenebrionoidea

See also Oedemera nobilis.

- Cucujiformia      

See also Otiorhynchus atroapterus,Malachius bipustulatus , Phyllobius pomaceus, and Cheilomenes lunata.

- Polyphaga            

See also Melolontha melolontha and Neojulodis vittipennis.

- Coleoptera            

See also Demetrias atricapillus, Anthia fornasinii and Lophyra cf. differens.

- Coleopterida           

- Endopterygota          

See also Synagris proserpina, Vespula germanica, Astata tropicalis, Anthophora furcata, Andrena nigroaenea, Zebronia phenice, Crambus pascuella, Nemophora degeerella, Sphinx ligustri, Laelia robusta, Acada biseriata, Metisella willemi, Anthocharis cardamines, Papilio demodocus, Panorpa germanica, Chloromyia formosa, Senaspis haemorrhoa, Helophilus pendulus, Episyrphus balteatus, Metadon inermis, Diasemopsis meigenii, Dolichotachina caudata, Megistocera filipes and Hagenomyia tristis.

- Eumetabola                 

See also  Pephricus, Grypocoris stysi, Ranatra and Anoplocnemis curvipes.

- Neoptera                       

See also Humbe tenuicornis, Lobosceliana loboscelis, Cyathosternum prehensile, Heteropternis thoracica, Stictogryllacris punctata, Enyaliopsis, Tettigonia viridissima and Sibylla.

- Metapterygota                 

See also Enallagma cyathigerum, Pseudagrion hageni, Lestinogomphus angustus and Rhyothemis semihyalina.

- Pterygota                           

- Dicondylia                            

- Insecta                                   

- Hexapoda                                

- Arthropoda                                

See also Dicranopalpus ramosus, Hyllus argyrotoxus, Alopecosa barbipes, Enoplognatha ovata, Argiope bruennichi, Pardosa amentata  and Ligia oceanica.

- Ecdysozoa                                    

- Protostomia                                    

See also Burtoa nilotica.

- Nephrozoa                                         

See also Synchiropus splendidus, Rana temporaria, Breviceps poweri, Chiromantis xerampelina, Hipposideros vittatus, Syncerus caffer, Tockus alboterminatus, Larus argentatus, Sterna hirundo, Burhinus vermiculatus, Troglodytes troglodytes, Megaceryle maxima, Ardea goliath, Chalcophaps indica, Stigmatopelia senegalensis, Lygodactylus capensis, Thelotornis capensis, Zootoca vivipara, Trachylepis varia and Trachylepis wahlbergi.

- Bilateralia                                           

- Eumetazoa                                             

- Animalia                                                   

- Eukaryota                                                    

And, with a Happy Birthday to an Independent Namibia, That's All, Folks! 

 

Senaspis haemorrhoa, Gerstaecker, 1871

In the unlikely event that anyone follows the chronology of this little blog, and has just come from the dramatic yet poorly photographed Sterna hirundo image posted recently, this reasonably charismatic group should help ease you back into the invertebrates...

Onwards!

 - Eukaryota
   - Animalia
     - Eumetazoa
       - Bilateralia
         - Nephrozoa - see also Thelotornis capensis, Lygodactylus capensis, Chalcophaps indica, Sterna hirundo and Hipposideros vittatus.
           - Protostomia
             - Ecdysozoa
               - Arthropoda - see also Ligia oceanica, Dicranopalpus ramosus and Hyllus argyrotoxus
                 - Hexapoda
                   - Insecta
                     - Dicondylia
                       - Pterygota
                         - Manopterygota - see also Pseudagrion hageni
                           - Neoptera - see also Sybilla, Stictogryllacris punctata and Cyathosternum prehensile.
                             - Eumetabola - see also Pephricus and Anoplocnemis curvipes
                               - Endopterygota - see also Hagenomyia tristis, Synagris proserpina, Melolontha melolontha, Otiorhynchus atroapterus, Demetrias atricapillus and Anthia fornasinii
                                 - Panorpida - see also Zebronia phenice, Laelia robusta, Anthocharis cardamines and Acada biseriata
                                   - Antliophora see also Panorpa germanica
                                     - Diptera - see also Megistocera filipes
                                       - Brachycera
                                         - Muscomorpha - see also Diasemopsis meigenii
                                           - Aschiza
                                             - Syrphoidea
                                               - Syrphidae - see also Episyrphus balteatus
                                                 - Eristalinae
                                                   - Eristalini - see also Helophus pendulus
                                                     - Eristalina

Senaspis haemorrhoa

(Gerstaecker, 1871)

and here (below) it is:

This fuzzy little hoverfly is Afrotropical (specifically, in this one's case, Lusaka City, Lusaka Province, Zambia), and its colouring seems to be intended to mimic a handful of similar leaf-cutter bees. Although little is freely available about its natural history, as a member of the Eristalini, it presumably spends time as a rat-tailed maggot in standing water, grazing on bacteria and generally being unobtrusive, before turning into a reasonably important pollinator at metamorphosis. Although only photographed once, several similar-looking flies were seen within weeks of this photograph being taken.


It is, I hasten to note, harmless. It has neither sting nor mandibles, and its mouthparts are not adapted for piercing. As with other hoverflies, it also has no real interest in your lunch.



That's all, folks.