View the above photo record (by Ryan Tippett) in LacewingMAP here.
Golafrus oneili – Kalahari Phantom Antlion
Péringuey, 1911
Identification
Size: Very Large (Wingspan 120mm)
Golafrus oneili is one of southern Africa’s most magnificent antlions. The adults have long, narrow wings. The posterior margin of each wing is incised, forming a raised ridge when folded at rest. The wings provide effective camouflage when inactive during the day. G. oneili has extremely long legs relative to other Palparinae.
Photo by Ryan Tippett
Photo by Ryan Tippett
Larvae: The larvae are large and imposing with striking white and black colouration.
Photo by Vaughan Jessnitz
Habitat
A sand specialist frequenting open karoo vegetation and dry savanna, usually on red kalahari sands. Most numerous in Bushmanland and the Kalahari where it inhabits red sand dunes with scattered bushes and tall grasses.
Photo by Ryan Tippett
Behaviour
Adults are nocturnal and spend the day resting among tall grass. They are frequently attracted to light.
Adults are on the wing from December to April
Photo by Cornelia Rautenbach
The very large larvae are voracious predators, which inhabit deep sand. They come to the surface at night to lie in wait for prey and leave characteristic tracks in the sand where they surface. They ambush their prey and do not construct pit-fall traps. The white body is thought to be an adaptation to reflect heat in the arid, hot environments in which they live.
Photo by Mark Stanton
Photo by Kyle Finn
Status and Distribution
This species is seldom encountered and is generally scarce but may be fairly common in suitable habitat.
Golafrus oneili has been recorded from South Africa, Botswana and Namibia. It South Africa it occurrs mostly in the Northern Cape with some records from the Western Cape, Limpopo and North-West province.
Taxonomy:
Order: Neuroptera Family: Myrmeleontidae Subfamily: Palparinae Tribe: Palparini Genus: Golafrus Species: oneili
Further Resources
Virtual Museum (LacewingMAP > Search VM > By Scientific or Common Name)
Acknowledgements:
The use of photographs by Vaughan Jessnitz, Kyle Finn, Mark Stanton and Cornelia Rautenbach is acknowledged. This species text has benefited enormously from comments made by Mervyn Mansell on records he has identified in LacewingMAP. We acknowledge his important contribution.
Recommended citation format for this species text:
Tippett RM 2022. Golafrus oneili. Biodiversity and Development Institute, Cape Town.
Available online at http://thebdi.org/2022/07/25/golafrus-oneili-kalahari-phantom-antlion/
Photo by Ryan Tippett
