288 GLOSSINA BREVIPALPIS [CH. 



Glossina brevipalpis Newstead, 1910. 



Synonyms. G. fusca Austen, 1903 (nee Walker). G. tahaniformis Stuhl- 

 mann, 1902 inec Westwood). 



Description. Owing to an unfortunate error in Austen's 

 Monograph, G. brevipalpis was there described under the name 

 G. fusca, as with the scanty material at the author's command 

 it was very difficult to form correct conclusions as to the 

 characters of the species. As a result the majority of writers 

 following Austen, have described the habits and occurrence of 

 the present species under the name G. fusca. 



G. brevipalpis is the common large tsetse-fly of many parts 

 of Eastern, Central, and Southern Africa. The most striking 

 casual feature of the species is the darkening of the wings in 

 the region of the anterior and posterior transverse veins, so 

 as to appear as dark spots on the otherwise pale wings. It may 

 be distinguished from G. longipennis by the absence of a dark 

 brown ocellar spot, of a brown tip to the proboscis bulb and of 

 the characteristic dark spots on the thorax. In addition, it 

 may be distinguished from G. fusca by having the proboscis 

 and palpi much shorter ; the head distinctly wider, and closer 

 to the thorax ; the thoracic markings and general colouration 

 much less distinct ; also, the size is often larger. 



The length of the male varies from I0'2 to I2'25 mm. and 

 of the female from ii'O to 13-5 mm. 



Distribution. This species has been recorded from British, 

 German and Portuguese East Africa, Uganda, Nyasaland, 

 Northern Rhodesia, the Katanga district of the Congo Free 

 State and Angola. Although occurring in the two latter 

 districts, G. brevipalpis has not hitherto been found on the 

 west coast of Africa, but is essentially an East African species. 



Bionomics. The many descriptions of the habits of this 

 species have nearly all been given under the name of G. fusca 

 and this point should be remembered in looking up references 

 on the subject. G. brevipalpis requires only a moderate degree 

 of humidity and is generally found where there is fairly heavy 

 timber and bush. It is more adaptable to external conditions 

 than G. palpalis, and Stuhlmann notes that it requires an average 

 yearly temperature of 23° to 26° C, with a maximum of 36° to 



