To celebrate the 80^th birthday of Jason G.H. Londt, we present a collection of articles in his honour. This introduction includes a summary of Jason’s life and career, an overview of the articles in the Festschrift, lists of his scientific and popular publications and a list of species named in his honour. Jason’s contribution to Mecoptera and Asilidae research in the Afrotropics is discussed, highlighting the impressive contributions he has made to the taxonomy, biology and ecology in both groups.

Asilidae, Bibliography, biography, Bittacidae, personalia, species descriptions

Jason G. H. Londt has made a notable impact on South African and International Entomology over a career of more than 50 years. 2023 marks Jason’s 80^th birthday and it is fitting to publish a Festschrift in honour of this milestone. This Festschrift recognizes the outstanding contributions that Jason has made to entomological research on flies, especially assassin or robber flies (Diptera, Asilidae), on hangingflies (Mecoptera, Bittacidae), and field collections of insects, primarily in South Africa. This issue includes nine articles celebrating Jason’s career by authors from three continents and five countries.

Jason Gilbert Hayden Londt (Figs 1, 2) was born in Johannesburg, Transvaal [now Gauteng], South Africa on April 1^st, 1943, where he attended Parkview Junior, Parkview Senior and Parktown Boys’ High Schools. Jason received all of his academic training at Rhodes University in Grahamstown [now Makhanda], Cape Province [now Eastern Cape], South Africa with research on ticks (graduating with BSc 1968; BSc Honours 1969; MSc 1971; PhD 1974), where he was an excellent student (B. Wilmot pers. comm. 2023). He also developed an interest in Mecoptera and started his taxonomic research on this group while he was a student. During 1970, Jason undertook some lecturing in entomology (sharing a vacant post with B. Wilmot) in order to bring in some income and to assist with the teaching load. During 1971–1973, Jason held the position of Research Officer at the newly established Tick Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, during which time he also assisted in the teaching of Entomology. In 1974, Jason was awarded the University of London ‘Esmé Fairbairn Post-doctoral Fellowship’, and conducted biological research on various species of British ticks including Ixodes trianguliceps under Prof. Don R. Arthur, head of the Department of Zoology at Kings College, London, UK, some time was also devoted to taxonomic work on Afrotropical Mecoptera at the Natural History Museum, London. During this period, he also collected insects in Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Following his one-year studies in London, Jason accepted a post as a Senior Professional Officer at the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute (1975) in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa, where he continued to work on the biology and ecology of southern African cattle ticks (Ixodidae), mostly of the Blue Tick (Boophilus decoloratus) and the Red-legged Tick (Rhipicephalus evertsi). In 1976, Jason took up the post of Assistant Director of the KwaZulu-Natal Museum [then the Natal Museum] in Pietermaritzburg, Natal [now KwaZulu-Natal], South Africa. This is where he commenced his research on the assassin flies (Asilidae, Fig. 3). During the 17 years when Jason was Assistant Director, he also undertook all the editorial work on the museum’s scientific publications. Jason became Director of the same museum in 1994 and retired from that position on 30 April 2003. After retirement, Jason served a 6-month post-retirement contract as Acting Director while the museum council appointed his successor. Jason was an active member of the Pietermaritzburg Rotary Club from 1989 to 2018, serving as President in 2000/01. He continues to this day to visit the museum to meet with staff, study and add flies and other insects to the collection, and writes a column entitled ‘Concrete Jungle’ for the local newspaper, The Witness. Jason has been married to his wife Ann for 55 years and they have three children, Hilary, Cynthia and Brendan, and six grandchildren.

Figures 1–4. 

1 Jason next to a quiver tree (Aloidendron dichotomum, Asphodelaceae) following a successful day in the field at Tierberg Nature Reserve, Keimoes, Northern Cape, South Africa (28°43'01"S, 20°59'48"E, 2004-02-05). Asilidae species (6) collected at this site on this day: Acasilus tigrimontis Londt, 2005, Afroholopogon mauros Londt, 2005, Afroholopogon pardosoros Londt, 2005, Alcimus sp., Lycostommyia albifacies (Hermann, 1907), and Trichoura pardeos Londt & Dikow, 2016. Photo by T. Dikow 2004 (with Jason’s camera) 2 Jason and Torsten Dikow at Doreen Clark Nature Reserve in Hilton, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (29°34'52"S, 30°17'25"E, 2019-09-15). No Asilidae was collected on this day at this site. Photo by A. Cabrero 2019 3 assassin fly Melouromyia natalensis (Ricardo, 1919), one of two species in the genus Melouromyia Londt, 2002, photographed by Jason in his garden in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Photo by J. Londt 2013 4 two KwaZulu-Natal Museum dipterists, Jason Londt (Director, left) and Brian Stuckenberg (Director Emeritus, right), talking about flies. Photo by T. Dikow 2000.

Jason has contributed a remarkable amount to entomology in South Africa and the world. During a career of 51 years, Jason published 137 scientific papers and book chapters, 29 popular articles and six popular books (see Appendix 1, publication list, below), collected specimens in ten African, four European and one Central American country and assembled a collection of over 21,700 Asilidae and 65,000 insect specimens, almost all housed at the KwaZulu-Natal Museum. Throughout his career at the KwaZulu-Natal Museum, he had to balance his research with the administrative demands of his positions, further highlighting his research productivity. As a measure of the esteem in which his colleagues held him, 32 Diptera species in 17 families, four other insects in three orders, and two Oligochaetes have been named in his honour (Table 1). A further five species are named in his honour in this Festschrift.

Jason published his first scientific article, the description of Bittacus tjederi Londt, 1970, on the Mecoptera (Londt 1970) and, despite his career focused on the Asilidae (his publications on Asilidae outnumber publications on Mecoptera five to one), continued publishing on Mecoptera for the next 37 years, until 2007. During his career, he published 20 articles and book chapters, 13 on the taxonomy of Mecoptera and seven on their distribution, biology and ecology. His treatment of the Bittacidae in “A catalogue of Afrotropical Mecoptera” (Londt 1994a) remains the most thorough publication on the Afrotropical fauna and his key to the southern African species in “The Mecoptera of Southern Africa” (Londt 1972) is the only identification resource for the Afrotropics.

The majority of Jason’s work focused on the Afrotropical Mecoptera, where he described 16 species, though he did also describe one species from the Neotropics (Londt and Byers 1974). The Afrotropical Mecoptera are represented by a single family, the Bittacidae, and three genera, one of which, the monotypic Afrobittacus Londt, 1994, was described by Jason. Anomalobittacus Kimmins, 1928 is also monotypic, leaving the majority of the Afrotropical diversity (51 species) in Bittacus Latreille, 1805. With two monotypic genera, articles treating the entire family are more practical for the Afrotropics and, in most cases, this was Jason’s approach. Of the 53 valid species known from the Afrotropics, Jason has described 14, or 26% of the known diversity. The only authors to describe a comparable number are Longinos Navás who described 13 valid Bittacus species and Peter Esben-Petersen who described seven valid species. No other author has described more than three Afrotropical Mecoptera species. Of the 17 Mecoptera species described by Jason, only two have proven to be junior synonyms, both from his early work (Londt 1972) and both synonymized by Jason himself (Londt 1994a).

While most of Jason’s publications were taxonomic, he also published on the fauna of specific regions, such as Malawi (Londt 1981) and Mkomazi in Tanzania (Londt and van Noort 1999), an atlas of the Mecoptera of KwaZulu-Natal (Londt 1995b) and four general articles on the distribution, biology and ecology of Mecoptera. As in his research on the Asilidae, his observations of this group have provided insights that are uncommon in many Afrotropical insect groups.

Jason joined the Natal Museum (NMSA) in Pietermaritzburg as Assistant Director in 1976. Although he had not published on Diptera yet, the then director and preeminent dipterist Brian Stuckenberg (Kirk-Spriggs 2012, Fig. 4) asked Jason to focus his attention on Asilidae in part because a review of the southern African fauna had just been published by Harold Oldroyd from the Natural History Museum in London, UK (Oldroyd 1974, see also below).

Jason published his first article on assassin flies, focusing on the genus Choerades Walker, 1851, in 1977 (Londt 1977). This article started his series entitled “Afrotropical Asilidae” to which he added 32 additional manuscripts with the final one appearing on the genus Habropogon Loew, 1847 in 2000 (Londt 2000). This remarkable series of papers was (1) exclusively published in the “Annals of the Natal Museum” (renamed to “African Invertebrates” in 2001), (2) authored solely by Jason as the single author, and (3) included, with three exceptions, only taxonomic revisionary studies. To these 33 taxonomic “Afrotropical Asilidae” publications, Jason added an amazing 55 other taxonomic revisionary studies published in a number of different entomological journals but chiefly in “African Invertebrates”. His taxonomic work focused on genera distributed in southern Africa or the entire Afrotropical Region with his last publication appearing in 2019 on the genus Astochia Becker in Becker and Stein 1913 (Londt 2019). In a total of 88 revisions, Jason described 585 new Asilidae species (Fig. 5: 580 Afrotropical, 4 Oriental (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka), 1 Palaearctic (Iran)), 46 new genera (Fig. 6: 45 Afrotropical, 1 Oriental), newly combined 151 species, and newly synonymized 127 species of Asilidae (Fig. 7). These revisions included more than 1,000 species (Fig. 5, most with high-quality re-descriptions).

Figures 5–8. 

Graphical summary of 88 taxonomic revisionary studies published by Jason Londt on Asilidae between 1977–2019 5 number of new species described and valid species recognized 6 number of revisions and number of new genera 7 number of new generic combinations and number of new junior synonyms 8 number of new genera and number of genera included in each revision (note: total number of 164 encompasses genera included in multiple revisions).

The new species descriptions are spread among 70 genera from ten of the 12 currently recognized subfamilies recorded for the Afrotropics. The only two subfamilies known from the Afrotropical Region that Jason did not describe new species in are Leptogastrinae and Ommatiinae. Remarkably, Jason has only a single junior synonym in the Asilidae to his name to this day, which he himself established in 2015 when synonymizing Notiolaphria africana Londt, 1977, which was described in his first article, with Notiolaphria coerulescens Macquart, 1834 when it was newly combined with Notiolaphria Londt, 1977 (Londt 2015).

The vast majority of new taxa were described in Asilinae with 247 new species and 15 new genera followed by Stenopogoninae with 95 new species and 10 new genera.

The highest number of new species in a single manuscript was published in 1988 in the Neolophonotus comatus group with 98 new species (Londt 1988, Fig. 5). The highest number of new genera was published in 1994 with seven new genera of small Stenopogoninae (Londt 1994b, now mostly placed in Brachyrhopalinae, Fig. 6) plus the genus Afroholopogon (Londt 1994b) closely followed by the two comprehensive studies on the Asilinae with seven new genera in Londt (2002b) and six in Londt (2005) (Fig. 6). In one of his earlier articles, Jason cleaned up the complex taxonomic history of the genus Pegesimallus Loew, 1858 (with junior synonyms Cenopogon Wulp, 1898, Lagodias Loew, 1858, and Neolaparus Williston, 1889) in which he described 10 new species, two new genera, synonymized 39 previously described species, and newly combined 37 species with Pegesimallus (Londt 1980, Fig. 7).

Jason usually included single genera in his manuscripts, but when he reviewed the fauna of a particular region he included several genera. The largest of these was his review of the fauna of The Gambia, based on 298 Gambian Asilidae collected by William F. Snow between 1974–1977 and deposited at Oxford University Museum of Natural History, where a total of 28 genera were dealt with in a single publication (Fig. 8) (Londt 2012).

Jason published his taxonomic Asilidae research primarily as the sole author (78 taxonomic revisionary studies) with ten articles co-authored by four colleagues (six with T. Dikow, two with R. Copeland, and one each with R. Vieira and L. Tsacas).

While Jason’s taxonomic reviews and keys represent the core of his Asilidae research, he also used his expeditions to note biological data while collecting specimens in the field (Fig. 9). Jason published twelve articles that are not strictly taxonomic in nature and that contributed immensely to understanding the biology, ecology and diversity of (Afrotropical) Asilidae. His publication “Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 26. Ethological observations, and a possible ecological classification based on habitats” (Londt 1994c) provided a summary of his extensive experience when observing and collecting assassin flies in the field. The unique perching and oviposition behaviours of many species are here compared and contrasted within six ecological categories and three oviposition strategies (Fig. 10). Prey specialization is also discussed based on predator-prey pairs in the collection, a subject on which Jason would publish further papers. The (Afrotropical) assassin fly prey is further analyzed in two articles entitled, “Predation of Asilidae by Asilidae” (Londt 1995a) and “An analysis of 2000 prey records” (Londt 2006). One can imagine that the ‘cannibalistic’ behaviour of preying on your own ‘kind’ is not that prevalent, but the analysis of 100+ field-caught assassin fly predator-prey pairs provides a first set of data points. Jason showed that true cannibalism does not occur in Afrotropical Asilidae, with most predator/prey relationships being between genera (Londt 1995a). In general, assassin flies are not that specific about their prey choice, but some Afrotropical genera are and Jason summarized the available prey data in the two mentioned publications and on honeybees (Londt 1993) and butterflies (Londt 1999). On the reverse, Jason was also involved in research on predator avoidance such as through hypertrophied hindwings in Nemopteridae (spoonwings, Neuroptera) that are postulated to reduce attack success by assassin flies (Picker et al. 1992). The female oviposition strategies, egg and early instar larval morphology, and other biological data were analyzed for Millenarius dichaetus (Hull, 1967) (Asilinae)(Londt and Harris 1987) and Damalis femoralis Ricardo, 1925 (Trigonomiminae)(Londt 1991) along with scanning electron micrographs and illustrations of the eggs and larvae.

Figures 9–10. 

9 Jason reviewing the catch in the shade at Cumberland Nature Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (29°30'25"S, 30°30'23"E, 2004-01-13). Asilidae species (11) collected at this site on this day: Afroestricus chiastoneurus (Speiser, 1910), Euscelidia brunnea (Loew, 1858), Laxenecera albicincta (Loew, 1852), Leptogaster carotenoides (Tomasovic, 1999), Ommatius senex (Bromley, 1936), Pegesimallus aulicus (Wiedemann, 1828), Philodicus tenuipes (Loew, 1857), Promachus amastrus (Walker, 1849), Rhipidocephala sp., Scylaticus costalis (Wiedemann, 1819), and Stichopogon punctum (Loew, 1851). Photo by T. Dikow 2004 10 ecological categories of Afrotropical Asilidae from Londt 1994: fig. 2. Numbers – primary divisions; letters – subdivisions; circling arrows – hunting area; dots – possible oviposition sites.

Jason also published three interesting faunistic studies. The first was based on material in the NMSA collected by Dr J. Brauns in and around Willowmore, Eastern Cape, South Africa between 1902–1929. It established that the habitats in the southernmost extent of the Nama Karoo harbour an incredible species diversity of assassin flies with 62 species in 27 genera recorded (Londt 1998). These numbers need to be increased to 63 species in 28 genera based on a unique specimen in the United States National Museum (USNM) of the genus Ammodaimon Londt, 1985 collected by J. Brauns at Willowmore in 1903. Jason showed an early understanding of the potential of databases in this work and had GBIF existed at the time, it is likely that he would have included the USNM data and those of others museums. This study provides a measure of species richness for the semi-arid Nama Karoo and no comparable data are currently available for arid or semi-arid environments anywhere else in the world. The other two faunistic articles are much stronger in the scientific technique applied and closer to home as they focus on the fauna of Queen Elizabeth Park (Londt 2002a) in Pietermaritzburg and the Jacana Eco Estate (Londt 2020) in Hilton, which is just north of the same city. Both are year-long studies of grassland-inhabiting assassin fly species collected through standardized sweeping and walking the same paths to visually locate flies. At Queen Elizabeth Park, 20 species from 15 genera (including Millenarius Londt, 2005, which was collected for the first time during this study and later described) representing eight subfamilies were recorded. At Jacana Eco Estate, 18 species from 13 genera representing six subfamilies were recorded. These studies provide insight into the species richness of assassin flies in grasslands within South Africa and no other comparable studies for this habitat type exist.

The “Manual of Afrotropical Diptera” project, spearheaded by Ashley Kirk-Spriggs and Bradley Sinclair (Kirk-Spriggs and Sinclair 2017), came at a time when many of the Afrotropical Asilidae genera had already been reviewed and who would be better suited to summarize our knowledge than Jason himself? The chapter on Asilidae (Londt and Dikow 2017) includes 148 genera accounting for 1,684 species, which makes it the most diverse Diptera family in the Afrotropics. Today, this species count has risen slightly to 1,704 valid species and many more will be discovered and need to be described in the future. This book chapter provides also, for the first time, a single identification key to all known genera and will be a valuable resource for the study of assassin flies for years to come.

Almost half of new species described by Jason are based on his own collecting throughout South Africa (the NMSA has 279 Asilidae holotypes collected and described by Jason). The fauna of this vast country is particularly well-known because Jason exhaustively covered every corner of it to collect specimens since starting work at the NMSA in 1976 (Fig. 11, see also below). Asilidae specimens collected by Jason since 1966 are in the NMSA collection (though some from his student years were deposited at the Albany Museum, Makhanda) and he is adding new ones to this day. It is obviously difficult to compare entomologists collecting throughout their careers, but we believe that there are very few, if any, other South African entomologists who have covered the entire country as densely as Jason has (Fig. 11). Amazingly, the entire NMSA Diptera collection has been databased and holds a staggering 42,000+ specimens of Asilidae in its drawers of which 21,700+ are assassin flies collected by Jason and of which 18,700+ are from within South Africa alone. Figs 12–17 show Jason in a number of habitats throughout South Africa in search of assassin flies. Jason collected almost every single genus of assassin flies known from South Africa. In some instances, such as Bana Londt, 1991, he collected the genus in Namibia but did not collect the only known species from South Africa, Bana madiba Londt, 2013. In other instances, such as Zelamyia Londt, 2005 or a few Ommatiinae genera, Jason has not been at the right time at the right place to encounter these genera in the field.

Figure 11. 

Map of southern Africa with collecting localities at which Jason Londt collected Asilidae (and other flies/insects). Based on published records and NMSA collection database. Map created in SimpleMappr (Shorthouse 2010).

Figures 12–17. 

12 Jason catching flies at Cumberland Nature Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (29°30'25"S, 30°30'23"E, 2004-01-13). For a list of captured species, see Fig. 9 captions. Photo by T. Dikow 2004 13 Jason sweeping vegetation at Mhlopeni Nature Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (29°01'13"S, 30°25'01"E, 2004-02-13). Asilidae species (15) collected at this site on this day: Afroestricus chiastoneurus (Speiser, 1910), Astochia armata (Becker, 1909), Connomyia leonina (Engel, 1932), Connomyia varipennis (Ricardo, 1925), Gonioscelis zulu Londt, 2004, Heligmonevra sp., Hoplistomerus nobilis (Loew, 1858), Lasiocnemus lugens (Loew, 1858), Laxenecera albicincta (Loew, 1852), Melouromyia natalensis (Ricardo, 1919), Ommatius flavipes (Loew, 1858), Ommatius senex (Bromley, 1936), Pegesimallus aulicus (Wiedemann, 1828), Rhipidocephala sp., and Stichopogon punctum (Loew, 1851). Photo by T. Dikow 2004 14 Jason sweeping grass at Doorndraai Dam Nature Reserve, Limpopo, South Africa (24°17'41"S, 28°46'41"E, 2005-02-16). Asilidae species (8) collected at this site on this day: Ancylorhynchus fulvicollis (Bigot, 1879), Emphysomera pallidapex (Bigot, 1891), Euscelidia procula Walker, 1849, Lasiocnemus lugens (Loew, 1858), Laxenecera albicincta (Loew, 1852), Ommatius sp., Pegesimallus sp., and Philodicus fraterculus (Walker, 1855). Photo by T. Dikow 2005 15 Jason admires a giraffe while collecting at Messina Nature Reserve, Limpopo, South Africa (22°24'54"S, 30°05'12"E, 2005-02-14–15). Asilidae species (9) collected at this site on this day: Alcimus sp., Anypodetus arachnoides Oldroyd, 1974, Hoplistomerus nobilis Loew, 1858, Philodicus dubius Ricardo, 1921, Philodicus tenuipes (Loew, 1857), Pegesimallus laticornis (Loew, 1858), Stichopogon punctum (Loew, 1851), Trichardis apicalis (Oldroyd, 1974), and Trichardis testacea (Macquart, 1838). Photo by T. Dikow 2005 16 Jason and his field vehicle, a Toyota Hilux, at red Kalahari sand dunes near Keimoes, Northern Cape, South Africa (28°44'55S, 20°46'11"E, 2004-02-04). Asilidae species (3) collected at this site on this day: Laphystotes ariel Londt, 2004, Macroetra sp., and Sporadothrix gracilis Hermann, 1907. Photo by T. Dikow 2004 17 Jason at Tugela River mouth on the Indian Ocean coast, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (29°13'21"S, 31°30'22"E, 2019-09-19). No Asilidae was collected on this day at this site. Photo by T. Dikow 2019.

Jason also collected Asilidae, Diptera in general, and other insects on extended field trips in Malawi (1980, 1987; 850+ Asilidae specimens), Namibia (1983, 1984; 1,250+ Asilidae specimens), Côte d’Ivoire (1989; 240+ Asilidae specimens), Swaziland [now Eswatini] (1991; 125+ Asilidae specimens), Kenya (1992; 315+ Asilidae specimens) and Costa Rica (2010; 110+ Asilidae specimens in USNM). These expeditions added immensely valuable material to the NMSA collection from other Afrotropical countries (Fig. 18). A single specimen of Rhabdogaster was also collected at Victoria Falls, Zambia, on a vacation in 2008.

Figure 18. 

Map of the Afrotropical Region with localities where Jason Londt collected Asilidae (and other flies/insects). Based on published records and NMSA collection database. Map created in SimpleMappr (Shorthouse 2010).

The fauna of assassin or robber flies of southern Africa is arguably one of the best-known of any region on the planet. That is in large part because of Jason’s dedicated field-work and research on this fauna since 1977. This area with diverse habitats such as Mediterranean fynbos and macchia, Namib and Kalahari deserts, Mopane woodlands, subtropical coastal forests, high altitude mountain plateaus, savanna, and Succulent and Nama Karoo covers the countries Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique (south of the Zambesi river), Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

The southern African Asilidae fauna has received attention from European dipterists for over 240 years (Fig. 20). Johan Christian Fabricius described the first species, Teratopomyia cyanea (Fabricius, 1781), from ‘Cap. bon. sp.’ (Promontorium bonae spei = Cape of Good Hope) in South Africa (Fabricius 1781). Jason reviewed this species in 2009 (Londt 2009) and commented on its unique morphology and metallic blue-black colouration, which is unknown from any other Afrotropical Asilidae species. Christian R.W. Wiedemann (between 1819–1830), Justin P.M. Macquart (between 1834–1855), and Francis Walker (between 1849–1857) added 25, 32, and 26 still valid species, respectively (Fig. 20). The first comprehensive review of the fauna was published by F. Hermann Loew who in 1860 published the Die Dipteren-Fauna Südafrika’s (pages 56–170) recognizing 96 species (Loew 1860). Loew described a total of 64 still valid species between 1851–1863 from southern Africa (Fig. 20). In the 20^th century, Gertrude Ricardo (between 1900–1925) described 50, Erich O. Engel (between 1925–1932) described 26, Stanley W. Bromley (between 1930–1952) added 25, Frank M. Hull (between 1958–1967) added 20, and Harold Oldroyd (between 1966–1974) added 52 still valid species (Fig. 20). By the time of the publication of “An Introduction to the Robber Flies (Diptera: Asilidae) of Southern Africa” (Oldroyd 1974), the total number of valid species in Southern Africa stood at 480 after ~175 years of attention of which 208 were treated in detail by Oldroyd. Jason alone described 490 (481 sole, 9 co-authored) new species of Asilidae from southern Africa in less than a third of this time, which demonstrates the immense contribution he has made to dipterology and entomology in southern Africa (Fig. 20). Other contemporary authors who added species are Torsten Dikow with 27 species (between 2000–present, 5 co-authored with Jason), Aubrey Scarbrough with 9 (between 1996–2005) and Guy Tomasovic with 6 (between 1999–2013). Today, some 952 Asilidae species are recognised from southern Africa and thanks to Jason’s exceptional collecting efforts and detailed revisionary taxonomic publications these species can be easily identified.

Figure 19. 

Commemorative award celebrating the career of Jason Londt presented at ICD9 in Windhoek, Namibia in 2018.

Figure 20. 

Summary of the accumulation of described southern African Asilidae species over time, from the first description in 1781 to the present day.

Southern Africa is also very diverse in terms of genera of Asilidae. In total, 102 genera have been recorded to date of the 148 genera known from the Afrotropical Region. Of these, 45 genera are endemic to southern Africa and 18 are monotypic. Jason described 37 genera from southern Africa during his career of which 28 are endemic and 13 are monotypic. The numbers of endemic and monotypic genera might suggest that the actual species diversity has not been fully described. To some biologists it might seem that Jason was a splitter ‘overdescribing’ the southern African fauna. However, Jason conducted such comprehensive field-work in biologically diverse habitats (see above) that yielded beautifully pinned specimens with high-quality associated locality and habitat data that it is no surprise that new species have been discovered. Furthermore, Jason included useful identification keys in each of his taxonomic publications making the species recognition and identification for entomologists possible for generations to come. On the other hand, Jason did not tackle and publish on some diverse, world-wide genera such as Microstylum Macquart, 1838 (79 Afrotropical and 39 southern African species) or Promachus Loew, 1848 (97 Afrotropical and 21 southern African species) in which, no doubt, many more species will be discovered and need to be described in the future. The southern African Asilidae fauna is exceptionally diverse and new species will be discovered by studying already available specimens at the KwaZulu-Natal Museum or by new fieldwork.

Jason presented his research on Asilidae at several meetings of the “Entomological Society of Southern Africa” as evidenced by published abstracts (e.g., Londt 1987, 2001). Jason also participated in the “International Congresses of Dipterology” in Guelph, Canada (1994, ICD3), Oxford, UK (1998, ICD4), San José, Costa Rica (2010, ICD7), and Windhoek, Namibia (2018, ICD9) to share his research with the international dipterological community (e.g. Londt 2010b, 2010a). Jason was elected an Honorary Member of the “International Congresses of Dipterology” at the Windhoek meeting in 2018. He is the 2^nd African dipterist to receive these honours following his close colleague Brian Stuckenberg, who was elected an Honorary Member of the Congresses in 1994 (Kirk-Spriggs 2012). Also at ICD9, a symposium was organized by the senior author entitled, “Taxonomy and phylogeny of Asilidae – honouring 40 years of Afrotropical research by Jason Londt” to celebrate his career. Jason received a commemorative award with a newly described species, Microphontes jasonlondti Markee & Dikow, 2018, at the symposium (Fig. 19).

Jason’s outstanding ability to collect and mount assassin flies, flies in general, and other insects will impact the discovery of new southern African species for many years. One way to visualize his impact in adding specimens to the collection at the KwaZulu-Natal Museum and his study of specimens from many other natural history museums is through his Bionomia record at https://bionomia.net/0000-0001-8308-3718. This summary, based on the recordedBy (collector) and identifiedBy (identifier) fields of specimen data submitted by natural history museums around the world to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF, www.gbif.org), illustrates how many specimens Jason has handled both while pinning freshly killed flies and studying them to put an identification label on them. The number of records aggregated (currently 9,860 records for collected by and 1,486 records for identified by) will only increase as more and more specimen data are captured in entomological collections around the world and attributed by Bionomia scribes. In addition, a project is underway by Plazi (plazi.org) and the senior author to liberate in a machine-readable format all of Jason’s taxonomic revisionary studies. An example is the revision of Smeryngolaphria Hermann, 1912 (Londt 1989), which is available in open access at Plazi TreatmentBank (https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/summary/FFD2FF9D1015FFF28C64FF9ACE650454) with the taxonomic treatments individually captured and at Zenodo (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1472869) with treatments and figures citable with individual DOIs.

Jason has contributed immensely over a career of 43 years of publishing on Asilidae to the understanding of species diversity and ecological roles of assassin flies in sub-Saharan Africa. Describing 580 species of Afrotropical Asilidae alone is an amazing feat and far outnumbers other dipterists studying the Afrotropical fauna such as Harold Oldroyd (144 valid Afrotropical Asilidae species, described between 1939–1974), Gertrude Ricardo (80, 1900–1925), Hermann Loew (77, 1851–1873), or Stanley W. Bromley (69, 1927–1952) to name but a few. Likewise, in terms of capturing the generic diversity, Jason described 45 new Afrotropical genera (1977–2015), all of which are still valid, eclipsing Hermann Loew (26 valid genera, 1847–1873), Friedrich Hermann (13, 1906–1926), Harold Oldroyd (7, excluding replacement names, 1959–1974) and Frank M. Hull (7, 1958–1962).

In a way, the summary chapter on assassin flies in the Manual of Afrotropical Diptera (Londt and Dikow 2017) with a key to all Afrotropical genera, its many photographs of flies in nature and from the collection, and up-to-date summaries of their diversity can be regarded as a tribute to Jason’s exceptional knowledge of these charismatic flies.

Following this introduction, this Festschrift includes three articles on Jason’s impact on entomology. Firstly, a catalogue of the types Jason deposited or designated at the Natural History Museum, London was compiled by Erica McAlister and Peter Wing. Kirstin Williams, Jacobus Steenkamp and Louwrens Snyman summarize Jason’s general collection at the KwaZulu-Natal Museum and Martin Villet gives an overview of the KwaZulu-Natal Museum Cicadidae collection. Five papers describing new species in Jason’s honour, one hangingfly and four true flies, follow this. John Midgley and Terence Bellingan describe a new Bittacus (Mecoptera, Bittacidae) a genus in which more than quarter of the Afrotropical species were described by Jason. Shaun Winterton, Michael Irwin and Jonas Mortelmans describe a new Neotherevella (Diptera, Therevidae), Bradley Sinclair describes a new Wiedemannia (Diptera, Empididae), John Midgley, Terence Bellingan and Kurt Jordaens describe a new Amphoterus (Diptera, Syrphidae) and finally, Torsten Dikow and Meliah Dubus describe a new Anypodetus (Diptera, Asilidae) (Table 1).

We thank all authors who have contributed to this Festschrift. Ann Londt is thanked for confirming biographical information. Brian Wilmot is thanked for discussions on Jason’s university days.

Research articles and book chapters

Londt JGH (1970) A new species of Bittacus from South Africa (Mecoptera: Bittacidae). Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa 33: 53–57.

Londt JGH (1971) Ecological studies on the non-parasitic larval stages of some tick species in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa (Acarina: Ixodidae). MSc thesis, Grahamstown, South Africa: Rhodes University.

Londt JGH (1972) Redescriptions of two African species of Bittacus Latreille with new synonymy (Mecoptera: Bittacidae). Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa 35: 123–128.

Londt JGH (1972) The Mecoptera of Southern Africa. Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa 35: 313–343.

Londt JGH, Whitehead GB (1972) Ecological studies of larval ticks in South Africa (Acarina: Ixodidae). Parasitology 65: 469–490. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0031182000044097

Arthur DR, Londt JGH (1973) The parasitic cycle of Boophilus decoloratus (Koch, 1844) (Acarina: Ixodidae). Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa 36: 87–116.

Londt JGH (1973) Aspects of the biology of Boophilus decoloratus (Koch, 1844) (Acarina: Ixodidae). PhD thesis, Grahamstown, South Africa: Rhodes University.

Londt JGH (1973) The preoviposition period of Boophilus decoloratus (Koch, 1844) (Acarina: Ixodidae). Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa 37: 405–412.

Londt JGH (1974) “Corneus spots” in insects. Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa 37: 5–14.

Londt JGH (1974) Mecoptera. In: Coaton WGH (Ed.) Status of the taxonomy of the Hexapoda of Southern Africa. Entomological Memoirs 38. Department of Agriculture, Union of South Africa, Pretoria, 101–102.

Londt JGH, Byers GW (1974) A new neotropical Bittacus with maculate wings (Mecoptera: Bittacidae). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 47: 344–348.

Londt JGH (1975) A rapid spectrophotometric method for the monitoring of embryonic development in ticks (Acarina: Ixodoidea). Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research 42: 103–108.

Londt JGH, Arthur DR (1975) The structure and parasitic life cycle of Boophilus microplus (Canestrini, 1888) in South Africa (Acarina: Ixodidae). Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa 38: 321–340.

Londt JGH (1976) Fertilization capacity of Boophilus decoloratus (Koch, 1844) (Acarina: Ixodidae). Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research 43: 143–146.

Londt JGH (1976) Redescriptions of Bittacus fumosus Esben-Petersen, and Bittacus zambezinus Navás, with a new synonymy (Mecoptera: Bittacidae). Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa 39: 175–183.

Londt JGH, Spickett AM (1976) Gonad development and gametogenesis in Boophilus decoloratus (Koch, 1844) (Acarina: Metastriata: Ixodidae). Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research 43: 79–96.

Londt JGH (1977) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 1. The genus Choerades Walker, 1851 and the descriptions of two new genera, Nannolaphria and Notiolaphria, from southern Africa and Malagasy Republic. Annals of the Natal Museum 23: 43–55. https://hdl.handle.net/10520/AJA03040798_587

Londt JGH (1977) Oviposition and incubation in Boophilus decoloratus (Koch, 1844) (Acarina: Ixodidae). Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research 44: 13–20.

Londt JGH (1977) Redescriptions of Bittacus montanus Weele, 1909, and Bittacus schoutedeni Esben-Petersen, 1913, with new synonymy and the description of a new central African species (Mecoptera: Bittacidae). Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa 40: 87–98.

Londt JGH, Van der Bijl EB (1977) The life cycle of the two-host tick Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi Neumann, 1897, under laboratory conditions (Acarina: Ixodidae). Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research 44: 21–28.

Londt JGH (1978) A new South African Bittacus Latreille, 1809 and a key to southern African Bittacidae (Mecoptera). Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa 41: 189–194.

Londt JGH (1978) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 2. The genus Philodicus Loew, 1848, in southern Africa. Annals of the Natal Museum 23: 419–423.

Londt JGH (1979) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 3. The tribe Stichopogonini. Annals of the Natal Museum 23: 833–854.

Londt JGH (1979) The genus Dysclytus Loew (Diptera: Asilidae). Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa 42: 217–223.

Londt JGH, Horak IG, de Villiers IL (1979) Parasites of domestic and wild animals in South Africa. XIII. The seasonal incidence of adult ticks (Acarina: Ixodidae) on cattle in the northern Transvaal. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research 46: 31–39.

Londt JGH (1980) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 4. The genus Pegesimallus Loew, 1858 (= Lagodias Loew, 1858; Neolaparus Williston, 1889), including species from other zoogeographical regions and the descriptions of two new genera, Brevirostrum and Caroncoma. Annals of the Natal Museum 24: 233–347.

Londt JGH (1980) The genus Synolcus Loew (Diptera: Asilidae). Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa 43: 23–40.

Londt JGH (1981) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 5. The genus Dasophrys Loew, 1858 (= Hobbyus Bromley, 1925) (Asilinae: Asilini). Annals of the Natal Museum 24: 635–699. https://hdl.handle.net/10520/AJA03040798_542

Londt JGH (1981) Bittacus livingstonei, a new species from Malawi (Mecoptera: Bittacidae). Annals of the Natal Museum 24: 621–624.

Londt JGH (1981) The genera Habropogon Loew and Hermannomyia Oldroyd in southern Africa (Diptera: Asilidae: Dasypogoninae). Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa 44: 69–78.

Londt JGH (1981) The Scorpionflies of Malawi (Mecoptera: Bittacidae). Nyala 7(2): 129–134.

Londt JGH (1982) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 6. The tribe Atomosiini (Laphriinae). Annals of the Natal Museum 25: 221–240.

Londt JGH (1982) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 7. The genus Astochia Becker, 1913 (Asilinae: Asilini). Annals of the Natal Museum 25: 241–251.

Londt JGH (1983) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 8. The genus Stiphrolamyra Engel, 1928, in southern Africa (Laphriinae: Laphriini). Annals of the Natal Museum 25: 413–430.

Londt JGH (1983) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 9. The genus Hippomachus Engel, 1927 (Asilinae: Asilini). Annals of the Natal Museum 25: 441–448. https://hdl.handle.net/10520/AJA03040798_501

Londt JGH (1983) The genus Daspletis Loew, 1858 and the description of two new genera, Anasillomos and Remotomyia (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae). Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa 46: 283–308. Barraclough DA, Londt JGH (1985) Order Diptera. In: Scholtz CH, Holm E (Eds) Insects of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban, 283–321.

Londt JGH (1985) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 10. The genus Hypenetes Loew, 1858 (Dasypogoninae). Annals of the Natal Museum 26: 377–405. https://hdl.handle.net/10520/AJA03040798_467

Londt JGH (1985) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 11. Ammodaimon acares, a new genus and species from southern Namibia (Stenopogoninae). Annals of the Natal Museum 26: 497–501. https://hdl.handle.net/10520/AJA03040798_461

Londt JGH (1985) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 12. The genus Neolophonotus Engel, 1925. Part 1. The chionthrix, squamosus and angustibarbus species-groups (Asilinae: Asilini). Annals of the Natal Museum 27: 39–114.

Londt JGH (1985) New species of Daspletis, Oratostylum, Dasophrys, and Hippomachus. Cimbebasia (A) 7: 67–76.

Londt JGH (1985) Order Mecoptera (Scorpionflies, hangingflies). In: Scholtz CH, Holm E (Eds) Insects of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban, 281–282.

Londt JGH (1986) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 13. The genus Neolophonotus Engel, 1925. Part 2. The suillus species-group (Asilinae: Asilini). Annals of the Natal Museum 27: 513–600. https://hdl.handle.net/10520/AJA03040798_428

Londt JGH (1986) Gibbasilus arenaceus, a new genus and species from the western Cape Province of South Africa (Diptera: Asilidae: Asilinae). Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa 49: 1–6.

Londt JGH (1987) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 14. The genus Neolophonotus Engel, 1925. Part 3. The pellitus species-group (Asilinae: Asilini). Annals of the Natal Museum 28: 383–454.

Londt JGH (1987) Notes on the biology and immature stages of Neolophonotus dichaetus Hull in South Africa (Diptera: Asilidae). Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa 50: 427–434.

Londt JGH, Harris MS (1987) Notes on the biology and immature stages of Neolophonotus dichaetus Hull, 1967 in South Africa (Diptera: Asilidae: Asilinae). Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa 50: 427-434.

Londt JGH, Tsacas L (1987) The genus Congomochtherus Oldroyd, 1970 (Diptera, Asilidae, Asilinae). Annales de la Société Entomologique de France (N.S.) 23: 29–42.

Londt JGH (1988) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 15. The genus Neolophonotus Engel, 1925. Part 4. The comatus species-group (Asilinae: Asilini). Annals of the Natal Museum 29: 1–166.

Londt JGH (1988) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 16. An illustrated key to the genera of the subfamily Laphriinae, a revision of Gerrolasius Hermann, 1920 and the description of a new genus Pilophoneus. Annals of the Natal Museum 29: 509–521.

Londt JGH (1989) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 17. The genus Damalis Fabricius, 1805 in subsaharan Africa (Trigonomiminae). Annals of the Natal Museum 30: 53–145. https://hdl.handle.net/10520/AJA03040798_363

Londt JGH (1989) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 18. The genus Smeryngolaphria Hermann, 1912 (Laphriinae). Annals of the Natal Museum 30: 147–157.

Londt JGH (1990) A new genus, Robertomyia, and two new species of Neolophonotus Engel from Somalia. Journal of African Zoology 104: 357–365.

Londt JGH (1990) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 19. New species and records of Synolcus Loew, 1858 and Gibbasilus Londt, 1986 (Apocleinae). Annals of the Natal Museum 31: 1–17.

Londt JGH (1990) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 20. The genus Pycnomerinx Hull, 1962 (Stenopogoninae). Annals of the Natal Museum 31: 19–32.

Londt JGH (1991) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 21: Observations on the biology and immature stages of Damalis femoralis Ricardo, 1925 (Trigonomiminae). Annals of the Natal Museum 32: 149–162.

Londt JGH (1991) Bana, a new genus of bee-mimicking assassin fly from southern Namibia. Cimbebasia 13: 91–97.

Picker M, Leon B, Londt JGH (1991) The hypertrophied hindwings of Palmipenna aeoleoptera Picker, 1987 (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae) reduce attack by robber flies by increasing apparent body size. Animal Behaviour 42: 821–825. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0003-3472(05)80126-5

Londt JGH (1992) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 22. The genus Scylaticus Loew, 1858 (Stenopogoninae). Annals of the Natal Museum 33: 95–187.

Londt JGH (1992) Revision of three small Afrotropical asilid genera, Empodiodes Oldroyd, Hynirhynchus Lindner, and Lycostommyia Oldroyd. Journal of African Zoology 105: 55–80.

Londt JGH (1993) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 23. The genera Connomyia Londt, 1992 and Danomyia gen. n. (Stenopogoninae). Annals of the Natal Museum 34: 103–151.

Londt JGH (1993) Afrotropical robber fly (Diptera: Asilidae) predation of honey bees, Apis mellifera Linnaeus (Hymenoptera: Apidae). African Entomology 1: 167–173.

Londt JGH (1993) Bittacus bicornis, a morphologically interesting new species from Natal, South Africa (Mecoptera: Bittacidae). Annals of the Natal Museum 34: 153–155.

Londt JGH (1993) Psilinus Wulp, 1899 and Spannurus Loew, 1858 - new synonyms of Rhabdogaster Loew, 1858. Journal of African Zoology 107: 383-392.

Londt JGH (1994) A catalogue of Afrotropical Mecoptera. Annals of the Natal Museum 35: 45–59.

Londt JGH (1994) Afrobittacus, a new genus with Neotropical affiliations from west and central Africa (Mecoptera: Bittacidae). Journal of African Zoology 108: 409–414.

Londt JGH (1994) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 24. Afroholopogon, a new genus for Afrotropical species previously allocated to Cyrtopogon Loew, Heteropogon Loew and Holopogon Loew (Stenopogoninae). Annals of the Natal Museum 35: 61–69.

Londt JGH (1994) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 25. A key to the genera of the subfamily Stenopogoninae with new synonymy and descriptions of six new genera. Annals of the Natal Museum 35: 71–96.

Londt JGH (1994) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 26. Ethological observations, and a possible ecological classification based on habitats. Annals of the Natal Museum 35: 97–122.

Londt JGH (1995) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 27: Predation of Asilidae by Asilidae. Annals of the Natal Museum 36: 161–167.

Londt JGH (1995) An atlas of the Mecoptera of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Annals of the Natal Museum 36: 169–187.

Londt JGH (1996) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 28. A review of the genus Oxynoton Janssens, 1951 and its transfer from the subfamily Trigonomiminae to the Stenopogoninae. Annals of the Natal Museum 37: 173–181.

Londt JGH (1997) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 29. A review of the genus Saropogon Loew, 1847 (Dasypogoninae). Annals of the Natal Museum 38: 137–157.

Londt JGH (1998) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 30. A review of the genus Storthyngomerus Hermann, 1919 (Laphriinae: Laphriini). Annals of the Natal Museum 39: 149–164.

Londt JGH (1998) Analysis of twenty six years of robberfly data from Willowmore in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa (Diptera: Asilidae). African Entomology 6: 47–54.

Londt JGH (1999) A new species of Habropogon Loew from Namibia (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae). Cimbebasia 15: 71–75.

Londt JGH (1999) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 31. A review of the genera Stenopogon Loew, 1847 and Rhacholaemus Hermann, 1907 with the description of the new genera and species (Stenopogoninae). Annals of the Natal Museum 40: 47–82.

Londt JGH (1999) Butterfly predation by robber flies (Diptera: Asilidae). Metamorphosis 10: 24–30.

Londt JGH (1999) Transfer of Stenopogon arabicus (Macquart, 1838) to Perasis Hermann, 1905 (Diptera: Asilidae: Laphystiinae). African Entomology 7: 165–168.

Londt JGH, van Noort S (1999) Hangingflies (Mecoptera: Bittacidae) of Mkomazi. In: Coe M, McWilliam N, Stone G, Packer M (Eds) Mkomazi: The Ecology, Biodiversity and Conservation of a Tanzanian savanna. Royal Geographical Society, London, 269–276.

Londt JGH, Coe M, Russel-Smith T (1999) Asilids (Diptera: Asilidae) of Mkomazi. In: Coe M, McWilliam N, Stone G, Packer M (Eds) Mkomazi: The Ecology, Biodiversity and Conservation of a Tanzanian savanna. Royal Geographical Society, Royal Geographic Society, London, 277–279.

Dikow T, Londt JGH (2000) A review of Lamyra Loew (Diptera: Asilidae: Laphriinae). African Entomology 8: 189–200.

Dikow T, Londt JGH (2000) A review of the genera Anasillomos Londt, 1983, Oratostylum Ricardo, 1925, and Remotomyia Londt, 1983 with the description of a new genus and two new species (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae). Annals of the Natal Museum 41: 107–121.

Londt JGH (2000) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 32. A revision of Anypodetus Hermann. 1907 with the description of three new species (Laphriinae). Annals of the Natal Museum 41: 123–138.

Londt JGH (2000) Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 33. A revision of Afrotropical Habropogon Loew, 1847 (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae), with the description of four new species. Annals of the Natal Museum 41: 139–150.

Londt JGH (2001) Bittacus chevalieri (Navás, 1908) (Mecoptera: Bittacidae), newly recorded from Socotra and found to occur in Pakistan and India. African Invertebrates 42: 255–262.

Londt JGH (2002) A survey of grassland Asilidae (Diptera) at Queen Elizabeth Park, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. African Invertebrates 43: 93–108.

Londt JGH (2002) Afrotropical Asilinae (Asilidae): A provisional key to genera, with a review of the status of Neomochtherus Osten Sacken, 1878, and descriptions of new genera and species. African Invertebrates 43: 11–92.

Londt JGH (2002) The status of Senoprosopis Macquart, 1838 in the afrotropical asilid fauna (Diptera: Asilidae). Studia dipterologica 8: 469–473.

Londt JGH (2003) A revision of the Afrotropical genus Afromelittodes Oldroyd & Van Bruggen, 1963 (Diptera: Asilidae: Laphriinae) and discussion of its possible mimetic resemblance to bees of the genus Megachile. African Invertebrates. https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC84523

Londt JGH (2004) A review of the Afrotropical genus Gonioscelis Schiner, 1866 (Diptera: Asilidae), with descriptions of new species. African Invertebrates 45: 21–124.

Londt JGH (2004) A revision of Laphystotes Oldroyd, with the description of a new species, and a key to the genera of Afrotropical Laphriinae (Diptera: Asilidae). African entomology 12: 19–28.

Londt JGH (2004) The status of Neolophonotus Engel, 1929 and Megadrillus Bigot, 1857 within the Afrotropical asilid fauna (Diptera: Asilidae: Apocleinae). Studia dipterologica 10: 393–394.

Londt JGH, Kroukamp G (2004) Ear-invading Arthropoda: results of a preliminary South African survey. African Entomology 12: 130–132.

Londt JGH (2005) A review of Afrotropical Afroholopogon Londt, 1994 with the description of a new genus and new species (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae). African Invertebrates 46: 203–252.

Londt JGH (2005) An annotated key to the genera of Afrotropical Apocleinae, with descriptions of six new genera (Diptera: Asilidae). Tijdschrift voor Entomologie 148: 39–62.

Kroukamp G, Londt JGH (2006) Ear-invading arthropods: a South African survey: clinical practice: SAMJ forum. South African Medical Journal 96: 290–292.

Londt JGH (2006) A review of the Afrotropical genus Rhabdogaster Loew, 1858 with descriptions of new species (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae). African Invertebrates 47: 243–313.

Londt JGH (2006) A review of the Afrotropical species of Nusa Walker, 1851 (Diptera: Asilidae: Laphriinae). Tijdschrift voor Entomologie 149: 101–120.

Londt JGH (2006) Predation by Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera): an analysis of 2000 prey records. African Entomology 14: 317–328.

Londt JGH (2007) A review of Afrotropical Perasis Hermann, 1905 (Diptera: Asilidae: Laphriinae). Zootaxa 1521: 9–18.

Londt JGH (2007) A review of the genus Hoplistomerus Macquart, 1838 (Diptera: Asilidae: Laphriinae). African Invertebrates 48: 167–198.

Londt JGH (2007) The distribution and biology of Bittacus tjederi Londt, 1970 (Mecoptera: Bittacidae). African Entomology 15: 225–227.

Londt JGH (2008) A review of Afrotropical Trichardis Hermann, 1906, and the description of the first Oriental representative of the genus (Diptera: Asilidae: Laphriinae). African Invertebrates 49: 171–226.

Londt JGH (2008) A review of the Afrotropical genus Dogonia Oldroyd, 1970, with new synonymy (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae). African Invertebrates 49: 123–128.

Londt JGH (2009) A review of Afrotropical Sisyrnodytes Loew, 1856 (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae). African Invertebrates 50: 137–183. https://doi.org/10.5733/afin.050.0106

Londt JGH (2009) A review of the Afrotropical genus Teratopomyia Oldroyd, 1980 (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae). African Entomology 17: 192–199.

Londt JGH, Deane J (2009) Dr Brian Roy Stuckenberg (7.04. 1930—8.02. 2009). African Invertebrates 50: 213–215.

Londt JGH, Deane J (2009) Obituary: Dr Brian Roy Stuckenberg (1930-2009). Rostrum: Newsletter of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa 2009: 2–3.

Dikow T, Meier R, Vaidya GG, Londt JGH (2010) Chapter Twelve. Biodiversity research based on taxonomic revisions—A tale of unrealized opportunities. In: Diptera Diversity: Status, Challenges and Tools. Brill, 323–346.

Londt JGH (2010) A review of Afrotropical Acnephalum Macquart, 1838, including the reinstatement of Sporadothrix Hermann, 1907 and descriptions of two new genera (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae). African Invertebrates 51: 431–482. https://doi.org/10.5733/afin.051.0212

Londt JGH (2010) A review of Daspletis Loew, 1858 with the addition of a remarkable South African species (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae). African Invertebrates 51: 183–199.

Londt JGH (2010) A taxonomic analysis of Gambian Asilidae (Diptera) based chiefly on a collection assembled by WF Snow between 1974 and 1977. African Entomology 18: 328–353.

Londt JGH (2011) A review of Afrotropical Ancylorhynchus Berthold, 1827 (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae). African Invertebrates 52: 471–556.

Londt JGH (2012) A new Namibian Empodiodes Oldroyd, 1972 and some interesting new records of robber flies from Namibia and South Africa (Diptera: Asilidae). African Entomology 20: 259–265.

Londt JGH (2012) An updated checklist of the robber flies of Gambia with the description of a new Sphagomyia Londt, 2002 (Diptera: Asilidae). African Entomology 20: 13–26.

Londt JGH (2012) Fishermyia stuckenbergi, a new genus and species of Afrotropical robber-fly from Madagascar (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae). African Invertebrates 53: 221–230. https://doi.org/10.5733/afin.053.0114

Londt JGH (2012) The genus Synolcus Loew, 1858, with descriptions of new species (Diptera: Asilidae). African Invertebrates 53: 661–702. https://doi.org/10.5733/afin.053.0206

Londt JGH (2013) A remarkable new genus of robber flies, Akatiomyia gen. n., from the Western Cape Province of South Africa, and a new key to the genera of Afrotropical Stenopogoninae (Diptera: Asilidae). African Invertebrates 54: 57–68.

Londt JGH (2013) A revision of Bana Londt, 1992 with the description of Bana madiba sp. n. from South Africa (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae). African Entomology 21: 24–28.

Londt JGH, Copeland RS (2013) A review of the Afrotropical genus Hermannomyia Oldroyd, 1980, with the description of a new species from East Africa (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae). African Invertebrates 54: 305–314.

Londt JGH, Vieira R (2013) A new Afromochtherus Lehr, 1996 from Madagascar (Diptera: Asilidae: Asilinae). African Entomology 21: 29–35.

Londt JGH (2014) A new species of Pilophoneus Londt, 1988 from Zambia (Asilidae: Laphriinae). African Entomology 22: 790–795.

Londt JGH (2014) A revision of Afrotropical Oligopogon Loew, 1847 (Diptera: Asilidae) with the description of eighteen new species. African Invertebrates 55: 269–322.

Londt JGH (2014) A revision of Millenarius Londt, 2005 with descriptions of two new species from southern Africa and the transfer of Neolophonotus dichaetus Hull, 1967 to the genus (Diptera: Asilidae). African Entomology 22: 377–387.

Londt JGH (2014) The Afrotropical robber fly genus Congomochtherus Oldroyd, 1979 (Diptera: Asilidae: Asilinae). African Invertebrates 55: 333–350.

Londt JGH (2015) A review of the genus Philodicus Loew, 1848 in southern Africa (Diptera: Asilidae). African Invertebrates 56: 747–768.

Londt JGH (2015) Afromosia, a new robber fly genus from Cameroon (Diptera: Asilidae: Laphriinae: Atomosiini). African Invertebrates 65: 719–728. https://doi.org/10.5733/afin.056.0314

Londt JGH (2015) Taxonomic observations regarding four genera of Afrotropical robber flies, Choerades Walker, 1851, Laphria Meigen, 1803, Nannolaphria Londt, 1977 and Notiolaphria Londt, 1977, and the description of Ericomyia gen. n. (Diptera, Asilidae, Laphriinae). African Invertebrates 56: 191–228. http://dx.doi.org/10.5733/afin.056.0115

Londt JGH (2016) A review of the genus Gibbasilus Londt, 1986 in southern Africa (Diptera, Asilidae). African Invertebrates 57: 67–81. https://doi.org/10.3897/AfrInvertebr.57.8696

Londt JGH, Dikow T (2016) A review of the genus Trichoura Londt, 1994 with the description of a new species from the Northern Cape Province of South Africa and a key to world Willistonininae (Diptera, Asilidae). African Invertebrates 57: 119–135.

Londt JGH, Dikow T (2017) 48 Asilidae (Assassin Flies or Robber Flies). In: Kirk-Spriggs AH, Sinclair BJ (Eds) Manual of Afrotropical Diptera. Volume 2. Nematocerous Diptera and lower Brachycera. Suricata 5. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, 671–756.

Londt JGH, Dikow T (2017) A revision of the Afrotropical genus Prytanomyia Özdikmen, 2006 (Asilidae, Laphriinae). African Invertebrates 58: 39–52.

Londt JGH, Copeland RS (2017) Nanoculcita, a new genus of Afrotropical robber fly from Kenya (Asilidae: Stichopogoninae). African Entomology 25: 292–301.

Londt JGH, Dikow T (2018) A review of the assassin-fly genus Laphyctis Loew, 1858 with descriptions of two new species (Diptera, Asilidae, Laphriinae). African Invertebrates 59: 75–106.

Londt JGH (2019) A revision of Afrotropical Astochia Becker, 1913 with descriptions of three new species (Diptera, Asilidae, Asilini). African Invertebrates 60: 215–237.

Londt JGH (2019) A revision of Empodiodes Oldroyd, 1972 with the descriptions of two new species from South Africa (Diptera, Asilidae, Stenopogoninae). African Invertebrates 60: 67–82.

Londt JGH, Dikow T (2019) A review of Southern African Choerades Walker, 1851 with the description of a new species (Diptera, Asilidae, Laphriinae). African Invertebrates 60: 31–65.

Londt JGH (2020) A survey of grassland Asilidae (Diptera) at Jacana Eco Estate, Hilton, South Africa. African Invertebrates 61: 29–48. https://doi.org/10.3897/AfrInvertebr.61.50895 Book reviews

Londt JGH (1973) Book Review. A field guide to the Insects of North America and Mexico. Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa 36(1): 181.

Londt JGH (1997) Book Review: Dragonflies of the Natal Drakensberg. Natalia 27: 121–122.

Londt JGH (2002) Book Review. Insects on Palms. Howard F.W., Moore D., Giblin-David R.M. & Abad R.G. 2001. Newsletter of the Southern African Society for Horticultural Sciences 1/2002: vii.

Londt JGH (2002) Book Review. Insects on Palms. Howard F.W., Moore D., Giblin-David R.M. & Abad R.G. 2001. Antenna 26(3): 180–181.

Popular articles

Londt JGH (1978) Log Life. In: Toktokkie (p. 1). Supplement to African Wildlife 32(1).

Londt JGH (1978) What is it ? - A mantid egg capsule. In: Toktokkie (p. 2). Supplement to African Wildlife 32(2).

Londt JGH (1978) Mosquitoes. In: Toktokkie (p. 3). Supplement to African Wildlife 32(4).

Londt JGH (1978) Garden Friends. In: Toktokkie (p. 2). Supplement to African Wildlife 32(6).

Londt JGH (1979) Bagworms. In: Toktokkie (p. 3). Supplement to African Wildlife 33(4).

Londt JGH (1982). Flies and still more flies. Scientific Progress 15 (2): 4. (Also in Afrikaans).

Londt JGH (1983) A snail killing snail. In: Wild News for young conservationists. Natal Wildlife April 1983: 19.

Londt JGH (1983) Common insects No. 1. Fishmoths, Lice and Fleas. Toktokkie 4 (5): 11. (also in Afrikaans)

Londt JGH (1983) Common insects No. 2. Dragonflies, damselflies and mayflies. Toktokkie 4 (6): 11. (also in Afrikaans)

Londt JGH (1984) Common insects No. 3. Termites and grasshoppers. Toktokkie 5 (1): 15. (also in Afrikaans)

Londt JGH (1984) Common insects No. 4. Cockroaches, mantids, walkingsticks and earwigs. Toktokkie 5 (2): 15. (also in Afrikaans)

Londt JGH (1984) Common insects No. 5. True Bugs. Toktokkie 5 (3): 11. (also in Afrikaans)

Londt JGH (1984) Common insects No. 6. Caddisflies and butterflies. Toktokkie 5 (4): 15. (also in Afrikaans)

Londt JGH (1984) Common insects No. 7. Beetles and lacewings. Toktokkie 5 (5): 15. (also in Afrikaans)

Londt JGH (1984) Common insects No. 8. Ants, wasps, bees and flies. Toktokkie 5 (6): 15. (also in Afrikaans)

Londt JGH (1985) What is a “Christmas Beetle”? Toktokkie 6 (6): 6. (also in Afrikaans)

Londt JGH (1986) Look mum no hands! or How a snake feeds itself. Toktokkie 7 (2): 5–7. (also in Afrikaans)

Londt JGH (1988) Robber Flies – important but much neglected predators. Cultura Natal 15 (4): 7–8.

Londt JGH (1992) Natal Butterfly Atlas: Progress report and call for assistance. Metamorphosis 3 (2): 70.

Londt JGH (1993) New taxonomic terminology. Antenna 17 (1): 2.

Londt JGH (1993) Natal butterfly atlas: progress report and further call for assistance from private collectors. Metamorphosis 4 (1): 38–40.

Londt JGH (1994) `Dispecific’ and `digeneric’ - readers’ feedback. Antenna 18 (1): 4–6.

Londt J (1995) Termites and birds. Blue Swallow 8 (2): [2–3]. [June 1995]

Londt JGH (1996) Entomological monument unveiled. Antenna 20: 24.

Londt JGH (1997) More monuments to insects. Rostrum 47 (August): 4.

Londt JGH (1997) More monuments to insects. Antenna 21 (4): 180.

Londt JGH (1997) Whinchat at Umhlanga. Blue Swallow 10 (3): 7–8.

Londt JGH (1999) Birds attracted to sunflowers. Blue Swallow 12 (1): 3

Londt JGH (2001) Witsand revisited. Blue Swallow 14 (1): 18–20.

Popular books

Londt JGH (1984) A Beginners Guide to the Insects. A Wildlife Handbook. Wildlife Society of SA, Durban, 100 pp.

Londt JGH (1988) Life in Compost. De Jager HAUM (Insight Series), Pretoria, 48 pp. (also in Afrikaans)

Londt JGH (1993) Talking of Creepy Crawlies. A Wildlife Handbook. Wildlife Society of SA, Durban, 103 pp.

Londt JGH (1994) A Guide to the Insects of southern Africa. The Wildlife Society of Southern Africa.

Pringle J, Londt J (1995) The Chronicles of a Service Club: The story of the Pietermaritzburg Rotary Club, 1925–1992. Rotary Club of Pietermaritzburg, Pietermaritzburg, 98 pp.

Londt J (2009) Suburban Wildlife in KZN. WESSA, KZN, 124 pp.