Taxonomic revision of Ectyphus Gerstaecker, 1868 and Parectyphus Hesse, 1972 with a key to world Ectyphinae (Insecta, Diptera, Mydidae)

Abstract The Afrotropical Mydidae genera Ectyphus Gerstaecker, 1868 and Parectyphus Hesse, 1972 are revised. Six species of Ectyphus are recognised (Ectyphus abdominalis Bezzi, 1924, Ectyphus armipes Bezzi, 1924, Ectyphus capillatus Hesse, 1969, Ectyphus pinguis Gerstaecker, 1868, and Ectyphus pretoriensis Bezzi, 1924), of which one is newly described from Kenya, Ectyphus amboseli sp. n. Two species, Ectyphus bitaeniatus Hesse, 1969 and Ectyphus flavidorsalis Hesse, 1969, are newly synonymised with Ectyphus pinguis. The monotypic genus Parectyphus Hesse, 1972 and the male of its type species Parectyphus namibiensis Hesse, 1972 are re-described while the female is described for the first time. Comments on the distribution of all species within biodiversity hotspots are given. A dichotomous identification key to the genera and species of world Ectyphinae is provided and illustrated keys to the world Ectyphinae are made available online in both dichotomous and multi-access, matrix-based formats.


Introduction
Mydidae is one of the smaller families of Diptera, with 471 species currently described in 66 genera world-wide.Mydids are infrequently collected, so little is known about the life history and seasonality of these interesting flies.Current knowledge of the Mydidae fauna indicates that most of the species diversity occurs in the Afrotropical Region, specifically in Namibia and western South Africa.To this day, the subfamily Ectyphinae is represented by two groups of geographically isolated genera: Heteromydas Hardy, 1944 andOpomydas Curran, 1934 from western North America (Mexico: Baja California Norte, Baja California Sur, Sonora and the USA: Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas), and Ectyphus Gerstaecker, 1868 and Parectyphus Hesse, 1972 from southern Africa (Namibia and South Africa).The objective of this study is the revision of the two Afrotropical genera, including the description of the first species to be collected in eastern Africa (Fig. 1).The revision of Ectyphus and Parectyphus is based on 131 and 11 specimens, respectively, entails the presentation of identification keys and descriptions of all species of the two genera, and summarises what is known about their biology and distribution.In addition, keys for the identification of all known genera and species are provided.For regularly updated distribution maps for all Mydidae species based on specimen occurrence data see http://www.mydidae.tdvia.de/mydidae_specimen_map.Gerstaecker (1868) erected the genus Ectyphus and described the type species E. pinguis from ‚Africa australis'.His diagnosis of the genus was based on the presence of a small ‚posterior crossvein' (= M 3 +CuA 1 ) on the wing, a circlet of spurs on the female ovipositor (acanthophorite spurs), and a reduced, rudimentary proboscis.These characters are not autapomorphies for Ectyphus, but are also found in genera of other subfamily taxa.Williston (1886Williston ( , 1898) described E. limbatus Williston, 1886 from Arizona and E. townsendi Williston, 1898 from New Mexico, USA, and Séguy (1928) described E. athamas from 'Basse California' (= Lower California) in present-day Baja California Norte state, Mexico.Bezzi (1924), when studying the southern African Mydidae, suggested that the North American Ectyphus belong to a separate genus based on the lack of a metathoracic tibial spine in females.Curran (1934) then erected the genus Opomydas to include these North American species, leaving only African species in Ectyphus.Kondratieff and Fitzgerald (1996) provide a recent revision of the North American species.Bezzi (1924) described two new South African species of Ectyphus, i.e., E. abdominalis from Montagu (Western Cape) and E. armipes from Stellabush (KwaZulu-Natal), as well as the subspecies E. armipes pretoriensis from Pretoria (Gauteng).Hesse (1969) re-described Ectyphus with the addition of three new South African species all from the Eastern Cape: E. bitaeniatus from Resolution, E. capillatus from Brakkloof, and E. flavidorsalis from Willowmore.Also described were three varieties of E. pinguis: litoralis from the coastal Eastern Cape, and ceramiiformis and karooensis from Willowmore and surroundings.Hesse (1969) established E. armipes pretoriensis as a distinct species E. pretoriensis.Interestingly, E. capillatus was described only from two male specimens, E. flavidorsalis from two female specimens, and E. bitaeniatus from a single female.The status of the species and varieties described by Hesse (1969) is discussed below.
In 1972, Hesse described a new genus, Parectyphus from a single male specimen collected in Gobabeb, Erongo, Namibia.Illustrations of the antennae and hypopygium of the type species P. namibiensis Hesse, 1972 were provided.He postulated that Parectyphus was closely related to Ectyphus based on similar morphology, with one major difference being the elongation of the ‚stump vein' extending from wing vein R 4 to connect with R 2+3 .Bowden (1980) catalogued 7 species for Ectyphus, E. abdominalis, E. armipes, E. bitaeniatus, E. capillatus, E. flavidorsalis, E. pinguis, and E. pretoriensis, and 1 species for Parectyphus, P. namibiensis.
Based on morphological similarity among Ectyphus, Opomydas, and the North American genus Heteromydas, Wilcox and Papavero (1971) erected the subfamily Ectyphinae.The taxon was based primarily on characters of the male terminalia: a free hypandrium, an aedeagus with a single tube, and ‚dististyli' on the gonocoxites.The term ‚dististyli' suggests that these novel appendages are gonostyli, which are absent in Mydidae (van Emden and Hennig 1970, Yeates and Irwin 1996, Dikow 2009).We, therefore, propose the term palp-like lateral appendage sensu Hesse (1969) to replace this term.Other characters diagnostic of Ectyphinae are the presence of macrosetae on the median surface of the metathoracic trochanters and metathoracic tarsomere 1 about five times as long as broad.Wilcox and Papavero (1971) list the Oriental Region along with the south-western USA, northern Mexico, and southern Africa as being inhabited by Ectyphinae, but later (Papavero and Wilcox 1974) the authors did not include this particular record from Asia.The genus Parectyphus was classified as incertae sedis by Papavero and Wilcox (1974) in their comprehensive study of the world Mydidae, but Bowden (1980), in the Catalogue of the Diptera of the Afrotropical Region, placed it within Ectyphinae.

Materials and methods
Morphological terminology follows the Manual of Nearctic Diptera (McAlpine 1981) and Dikow (2009).Abdominal tergites and sternites are referred to as ‚T' and ‚S' respectively.The terms prothoracic, mesothoracic, and metathoracic are abbreviated 'pro', 'mes', and 'met', respectively.The term pubescence (adjective ‚pubescent') refers to the short, fine microtrichia densely covering certain body parts.Other generalised terms refer to the Torre-Bueno Glossary of Entomology (Nichols 1989).
Species descriptions are based on all available specimens.Well-preserved specimens exhibiting intraspecific variation were selected for description.The descriptions are compiled from a character matrix of 145 features assembled with Lucid Builder (v.3.5) and exported as natural language descriptions.When available, species are fully described in the male sex while females are only described with those features that differ (except for characters relating to the terminalia/genitalia).All specimens examined were dry-mounted on pins.Regarding the specimens selected for dissection, the female genitalia and male terminalia were excised and macerated in 10% potassium hydroxide at 55°C and rinsed in distilled H 2 O.The terminalia were stored in 70% ethanol for examination and illustration, but permanently stored in 100% glycerine.Morphological features were illustrated using a camera lucida on a Leica stereo-microscope and digitally re-drawn in Adobe Illustrator ® .The vestiture/setation of the male terminalia was not illustrated.Wing length was measured from the tegula to the apex of the wing.Photographs of the specimens were taken using a Microptics ML Macro XLT digital system with a Canon EOS 40D camera.All photographs were deposited in Morphbank (http://www.morphbank.net) and permanent links to the full-size images are included in the figure captions.
In recording data for type specimens as well as non-type specimens, information is given (where available) in a standard manner, i.e., locality, geographic co-ordinates, elevation, date of collection (month indicated in lower case Roman numerals where hyphens indicate missing entries for day, month, year), habitat information, collector, and depository.Female (♀) and male (♂) symbols indicate the sex while a question mark (?) refers to specimens of indeterminable sex (i.e., with broken or missing abdomen).Each specimen (other than type specimens of already described species, which are sufficiently identified by their type status), is listed with a unique AAM specimen number that is attached as a white label and will allow the re-investigation as well as provide a unique identifier (LSID http://lsids.sourceforge.net) in databases like GBIF (http://www.gbif.org) in the future.AAM is an abbreviation for 'Apioceridae Asilidae Mydidae' and identifies a record in the specimen database used by T. Dikow in this format: AAM-000000.The distribution of all studied specimens is illustrated in distribution maps created in ArcMap (v.9).The electronic shape-files of the Biodiversity Hotspots were obtained from Conservation International (2005).The electronic keys were deposited in the IdentifyLife (http://www.identifylife.org)project.
Institutions providing specimens are listed below, along with the abbreviations used in the text and the people who kindly assisted: AMGS -Albany Museum, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa (A.Kirk-Spriggs, S.

Diagnosis:
Ectyphus is distinguished from other Afrotropical Mydidae by the distinctly clubbed metathoracic femur, the presence of a ventral keel on the metathoracic tibia terminating into a well-developed apical spine, and veins M 3 +CuA 1 terminate together into C on the posterior wing margin.Other features include the presence of 3 spermathecae in females and a free, square, and more or less flat hypandrium in males.

Diagnosis:
The species is distinguished from congeners by the broad, reddish stripe covering most of the dorsal abdomen (Fig. 2), the light brown setation on the head and scutum, the lack of a yellow posterior margin on the abdominal tergites, and its apparent distribution in the western Western Cape Province.
Re-description female: Head: brown, facial gibbosity yellow, in general white pubescent; width distinctly greater than thorax, interocular distance on vertex larger than at ventral eye margin, vertex between compound eyes slightly depressed, parafacial area very narrow, facial gibbosity nearly touching median eye margin; facial gibbosity distinct, well-developed and discernible in lateral view; mystax light brown, covering entire facial gibbosity; frons predominantly white pubescent (only narrow median area apubescent), vertex entirely white pubescent, postgena white pubescent; setation: vertex light brown, frons light brown, ocp setae brown, pocl setae brown; ocellar triangle apubescent; proboscis brown, short, about ½ length of oral cavity; labellum small, as wide as prementum, about ½ length of prementum, unsclerotised laterally; maxillary palpus cylindrical, light brown, longer than ½ length of proboscis.
Antenna: brown, scape and pedicel brown setose dorsally and ventrally; postpedicel cylindrical in proximal ½, symmetrically bulbous in distal ½, ≥ 5.0 times as long as combined length of scape and pedicel; apical ‚seta-like' sensory element situated apically in cavity on postpedicel.
Leg: brown, setation predominantly white; pro, mes, and met coxa grey pubescent, white setose; met trochanter macrosetose medially; femur brown, met femur evenly clubbed in distal ¾, in distal ½ macrosetose, 1 antero-ventral and 1 postero-ventral row of macrosetae; pro, mes, and met tibia straight, met tibia cylindrical with distinct ventral keel terminating into a sharp spine; pro and mes tarsomere 1 as long as combined length of tarsomeres 2-3, pulvillus well-developed, as long as well-developed claw, and as wide as base of claw; empodium absent.
Wing: length = 13.2 mm; hyaline throughout, slightly brown stained along veins, veins light brown, microtrichia absent; cells r 1 , r 4 , r 5 , m 3 , + cup closed; C well-developed, around entire wing; R 4 terminates in R 1 ; R 5 terminates in R 1 ; stump vein (R 3 ) at base of R 4 present, long but not reaching R 2 ; R 4 and R 5 widest apart medially; r-m distinct, R 4+5 and M 1 apart, connected by crossvein; M 1 straight at r-m (not curving anteriorly), M 1 (or M 1 +M 2 ) terminates in C; CuA 1 and CuA 2 split proximally to m-cu (cell m 3 narrow proximally); M 3 +CuA 1 terminate together in C; A 1 undulating, cell a 1 wide, A 1 and wing margin further apart proximally than distally; alula well-developed; halter brown.
Remarks: Although we were able to study some 131 specimens of Ectyphus, many of them new records since the last review by Hesse (1969), we were unable to identify any additional specimen of E. abdominalis.The unique female holotype is in poor condition and originates from a unique locality from where no other Ectyphus have ever been collected (Fig. 45).It is possible that this species represents another junior synonym of E. pinguis as this species, which is primarily known from the Eastern Cape, occurs even further west in the Western Cape than the type locality of E. abdominalis (see Remarks under E. pinguis).Only when male specimens from the type locality become available can the status of this species be confirmed.
Diagnosis: The species is distinguished from congeners by the yellow colour and pubescence of the thorax (Fig. 3), the yellow abdominal sternites (Fig. 3), and its apparent distribution in Kenya (Fig. 1).
Antenna: brown, scape and pedicel white setose dorsally and ventrally; postpedicel cylindrical in proximal ½, symmetrically bulbous in distal ½, ≥ 6.0 times as long as combined length of scape and pedicel; apical ‚seta-like' sensory element situated apically in cavity on postpedicel.

Diagnosis:
The species is distinguished from congeners by the long proboscis that is slightly longer than the oral cavity, the large labellum that occupies nearly the entire oral cavity, brown facial gibbosity and postpronotal lobe, and the dorso-ventrally flattened 'palp-like' appendage on the gonocoxite in males.
Antenna: brown, scape and pedicel white and yellow setose dorsally and ventrally; postpedicel cylindrical in proximal ½, symmetrically bulbous in distal ½, ≥ 6.0 times as long as combined length of scape and pedicel; apical ‚seta-like' sensory element situated apically in cavity on postpedicel.
Remarks: Three specimens, two from Tongaat River (AAM-003474-AAM-003475) and one from Tongaat (AAM-003476), all collected in 1908-1909 exhibit a long stump vein (R 3 ) entirely connecting veins R 2 and R 4 (e.g., Fig. 38).The presence of this connecting stump vein is otherwise only known from and diagnostic for the genus Parectyphus (see below).Ectyphus armipes, however, does not show any of the other diagnostic features of Parectyphus and the male terminalia exhibit the usual Ectyphus configuration so that we view the presence of this stump vein as a morphological anomaly.Hesse, 1969 Figs 7-8, 17-19, 45 Ectyphus capillatus Hesse 1969: 376;Bowden 1980: 326.

Diagnosis:
The species is distinguished from congeners by the yellow facial gibbosity, the distinctly yellow metepimeron, and the dense and long white setae on abdominal tergites 5-7.
Antenna: brown, scape and pedicel white and yellow setose dorsally and ventrally; postpedicel cylindrical in proximal ½, symmetrically bulbous in distal ½, ≥ 7.0 times as long as combined length of scape and pedicel; apical ‚seta-like' sensory element situated apically in cavity on postpedicel.
Leg: light brown, setation predominantly white; pro, mes, and met coxa apubescent, long white setose; met trochanter macrosetose medially; femur light brown, met femur evenly clubbed in distal ¾, in distal ½ macrosetose, 1 antero-ventral and 1 postero-ventral row of macrosetae; pro, mes, and met tibia straight, met tibia cylindrical with distinct ventral keel terminating into a sharp spine; pro and mes tarsomere 1 longer than tarsomere 2, but less than combined length of tarsomeres 2-3, met tarsomere 1 as long as combined length of tarsomeres 2-3; pulvillus well-developed, as long as well-developed claw, and as wide as base of claw; empodium absent.
Remarks: The ♂ paratype specimen was collected at Resolution, which is also the type locality of Ectyphus bitaeniatus Hesse, 1969 (synonymised with Ectyphus pinguis below).Ectyphus bitaeniatus is known from the ♀ holotype only.Although both specimens from Resolution were collected by the same collector (A.Walton), the specimens originate from separate collecting events although during the same summer of 1927-1928 and were collected only some 12 days apart.Hesse (1969: 377) mistakenly lists the E. capillatus paratype to be collected in January 1924 while the label indicates January 1928 (B.Muller pers.comm.).As E. capillatus is still only known in the ♂ sex and no other species of Ectyphus has ever been collected at Resolution, it is possible that E. bitaeniatus represents the ♀ of E. capillatus.Until more specimens from this area north-east of Grahamstown, in which all three collecting localities of E. capillatus are situated, become available we cannot definitely provide confirmation of the possible synonymy.E. capillatus would take priority by page number.

Diagnosis:
The species is distinguished from congeners by the enlarged yellow facial gibbosity, the yellow posterior margin of the abdominal tergites that are widened laterally and interrupted medially, and the distinctly yellow metepimeron.
Antenna: brown, scape and pedicel white and yellow setose dorsally and ventrally; postpedicel cylindrical in proximal ½, symmetrically bulbous in distal ½, ≥ 8.0 times as long as combined length of scape and pedicel; apical ‚seta-like' sensory element situated apically in cavity on postpedicel.
Thorax: brown; scutum surface entirely smooth, scutal setation comprised of distinct rows of long dorsocentral setae and lateral scutal setae.

Type locality, distribution, and biodiversity hotspots:
The original type locality is ‚Africa australis' (South Africa).Following recommendation 76A.1.4. of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (4 th edition) a new type locality is selected from within the range of the species.We hereby designate the Riet River mouth (33°36'00"S 026°54'00"E), near Port Alfred, Eastern Cape, South Africa as the new type locality.Cape Floristic Region and Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany biodiversity hotspots.
Remarks: Specimens identified as belonging to the three varieties of E. pinguis were examined, including a large series of paratypes of E. pinguis var.litoralis.These specimens were determined to represent colour and vestiture variation in E. pinguis, rather than belonging to distinct subspecies.The three names, Ectyphus pinguis var.litoralis, Ectyphus pinguis var.karooensis, and Ectyphus pinguis var.ceramiiformis, were proposed by Hesse to delimit infrasubspecific entities.Because these names were never adopted as valid for a species or subspecies, as was already pointed out by Bowden (1980: 326), the names are unavailable following the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (4 th edition, Article 45. 6.4. and 45.6.4.1.).The unique female holotype of E. bitaeniatus and the two female type specimens of E. flavidorsalis were also examined.These specimens represent E. pinguis in our view and are here synonymised with this species.Similar colour variation as exhibited by these two species was observed in female specimens of E. pinguis and therefore does not characterise distinct species.Hesse (1969: 372) mentioned the ♀ specimen from Tulbagh in the Western Cape as probably being mislabelled.We have studied the specimen and agree with his identification as E. pinguis, but cannot add any information whether the locality is correct or not.This locality is far removed from any other locality in the eastern Western Cape and in the western Eastern Cape provinces (Fig. 45).(Bezzi, 1924) Figs 9-10, 23-25, 45 Ectyphus pretoriensis (Bezzi, 1924) Hesse 1969: 377;Bowden 1980: 326.Ectyphus armipes subsp.pretoriensis Bezzi 1924: 197.

Diagnosis:
The species is distinguished from congeners by the brown metepimeron, the white setation on the head and scutum, the narrow posterior yellow margin on abdominal tergites, and its apparent distribution in Pretoria.
Antenna: brown, scape and pedicel white setose dorsally and ventrally; postpedicel cylindrical in proximal ½, symmetrically bulbous in distal ½, ≥ 5.0 times as long as combined length of scape and pedicel; apical ‚seta-like' sensory element situated apically in cavity on postpedicel.
Leg: light brown, setation predominantly white; pro, mes, and met coxa grey pubescent, white setose; met trochanter macrosetose medially; femur light brown, met femur evenly clubbed in distal ¾, in distal ½ macrosetose, 1 antero-ventral and 1 postero-ventral row of macrosetae; pro, mes, and met tibia straight, met tibia cylindrical with distinct ventral keel terminating into a sharp spine; pro and mes tarsomere 1 as long as combined length of tarsomeres 2-3, met tarsomere 1 as long as combined length of tarsomeres 2-3; pulvillus well-developed, as long as well-developed claw, and as wide as base of claw; empodium absent.

Remarks:
In order to preserve taxonomic stability and make more universal the use of this specific name, the ♂ specimen from Willows, is here designated as the lectotype, making the ♀ specimen from Faerie Glen a paralectotype.

Diagnosis:
The genus can be distinguished from other Afrotropical Mydidae by the presence of a complete stump vein (R 3 ) connecting R 2 and R 4 , the distinctly clubbed metathoracic femur, the presence of a ventral keel on the metathoracic tibia terminating into a well-developed apical spine, M 3 +CuA 1 terminate together into C on the posterior wing margin, the configuration of the male terminalia, and its apparent distribution in south-western Namibia and far north-western South Africa.Hesse, 1972 Figs 26-28, 30, 38-44, 45 Parectyphus namibiensis Hesse 1972: 165;Bowden 1980: 326.
Antenna: brown, scape and pedicel brown setose dorsally and ventrally; postpedicel cylindrical in proximal ½, symmetrically bulbous in distal ½, ≥ 4.0 times as long as combined length of scape and pedicel, rarely ≥ 6.0 times as long as combined length of scape and pedicel; apical ‚seta-like' sensory element situated apically in cavity on postpedicel.
Wing: length = 13.5-15.5mm; generally hyaline, sometimes slightly brown stained along veins, veins light brown, microtrichia absent; cells r 1 , r 4 , r 5 , m 3 , + cup closed; C well-developed, around entire wing; R 4 terminates in R 1 ; R 5 terminates in R 1 ; stump vein (R 3 ) at base of R 4 present, long and connecting R 4 and R 2 ; R 4 and R 5 widest apart medially; r-m distinct, R 4+5 and M 1 apart, connected by crossvein; M 1 straight at r-m (not curving anteriorly), M 1 (or M 1 +M 2 ) terminates in C; CuA 1 and CuA 2 split proximally to m-cu (cell m 3 narrow proximally); M 3 +CuA 1 terminate together in C; A 1 undulating, cell a 1 wide, A 1 and wing margin further apart proximally than distally; alula well-developed; halter light brown, rarely brown.

Biology and ecology
The family Mydidae is most often collected in arid to semi-arid areas, and Ectyphus and Parectyphus are not exceptional.Hesse described the then known habitats as "scrub-and sclerophyll-covered dunes" (1969: 372) and "semi-wooded and forested parts" (1972: 165) of southern Africa.Even in the Namib Desert, the holotype of Parectyphus namibiensis was probably collected from a "wooded environment ... namely that found along the banks of the Kuiseb River" (Hesse 1972: 165).The new collecting localities for P. namibiensis (Fig. 45) occur inland, but sand dunes or at least dry, sandy river beds are present.Several species of Ectyphus have been collected at river mouths with presumably larger amounts of open sand, i.e., Gamtoos River near Papiesfontein, Riet River in Port Alfred, Van Staden's River, and possibly the Tongaat River.According to Hesse (1969) Ectyphus is often collected resting on the ground or sand in open spaces.Although the life history of species of Ectyphinae has not been observed, behavioural characteristics are probably similar to other Mydidae.
All species appear to have functional mouthparts, although these can be short as in E. abdominalis, E. amboseli, E. capillatus, E. pinguis, and E. pretoriensis, and so probably visit flowers and feed on pollen and nectar.The larvae of Ectyphus and Parectyphus remain unknown.

Biodiversity hotspots
Areas of high plant endemism, which are under serious threat of destruction and which have already sustained loss of biodiversity, are referred to as biodiversity hotspots by Conservation International (http://www.conservation.org)(Myers et al. 2000).The presence or absence of Mydidae species in designated biodiversity hotspots is an indication of whether these species will be protected when funding for the preservation of the hotspots is made available.Ectyphus armipes and E. capillatus are endemic to the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany hotspot.Ectyphus pinguis is found in both Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany and the Cape Floristic Region, as well as slightly outside of both of these hotspots.Ectyphus abdominalis is endemic to the Cape Floristic Region.Parts of the range of Parectyphus namibiensis are in the Succulent Karoo hotspot.Ectyphus amboseli sp.n. was collected just outside the boundaries of the Eastern Afromontane hotspot, but further collection efforts in localities with higher elevations may result in E. amboseli specimens from this patchy biodiversity hotspot.The majority of species and specimens studied occur or are endemic to biodiversity hotspots sensu Conservation International.However, two species, E. amboseli sp.n. and E. pretoriensis, do not occur in any biodiversity hotspot.

Conclusion
The description of Ectyphus amboseli sp.n. expands the distribution of Afrotropical Ectyphinae by presenting a Kenyan species far from all other known species in southern Africa.This distribution does also have implications for the discussion of the phylogenetic relationships of Ectyphinae to other Mydidae, which are being further investigated by the second author (in prep.).In addition to the previously known distribution in southern Africa and western North America, Ectyphinae are now also known from eastern Africa.A similar distribution with a western North American element and a primarily southern African element within the Afrotropical Region is also found within the Willistonininae of the Asilidae (Dikow 2009).Within Willistonininae, the genus Sisyrnodytes Loew, 1856 even occurs in the southern Palaearctic Region, but the highest species diversity is found in southern Africa (see Londt 2009).We predict that additional records of Ectyphus, or possibly even undescribed species, will become available with more field work along the eastern African coast and especially in Mozambique and Tanzania, both poorly collected areas.

Figure 1 .
Figure 1.Map of the Afrotropical Region with biodiversity hotspots sensu Conservation International showing distribution of Ectyphus (red circles) and Parectyphus (blue squares).Note the distribution of Ectyphus in south-eastern Kenya.