A review of the assassin-fly genus <I>Laphyctis</I> Loew, 1858 with descriptions of two new species (Diptera, Asilidae, Laphriinae)

Abstract

The asilid genus Laphyctis Loew, 1858 is revised. The genus is restricted to the Afrotropical Region where it has been confused with the more widely distributed Laphystia Loew, 1847, which currently has no Afrotropical representatives. Three previously described species are recognised: Laphyctis gigantella (Loew, 1852), type of the genus, Laphyctis argenteofasciata (Engel, 1929), reinstated from the synonymy of L. gigantella, and Laphyctis orichalcea (Lindner, 1973). Two new species are described, Laphyctis eremia sp. n. from Namibia and Laphyctis iota sp. n. from South Africa. The genus has a wide distribution ranging from northern Kenya to eastern South Africa and to western Namibia. Species are associated with dry, sandy habitats.