Astochia virgatipes ( Coquillett, 1898 )

Young, Charles L., 2006, Robber flies of South Korea — II. South Korean species of the Subfamily Asilinae Latreille, 1802 (Diptera, Asilidae), Zootaxa 1132, pp. 1-30 : 6-7

Astochia virgatipes ( Coquillett, 1898)

( Figs 3 , 15 , 30, 31 & 60 )

Asilus virgatipes Coquillet 1898 Coquillet (1898: 313) . Astochia virgatipes: Hermann, 1917: 33 .

Large sized black and yellow flies, 24 to 27mm. Abdomen contrasting yellow hair and black integument. Male with spatulate (spoon­like) hair on fore basitarsus. Except mystax and suctal bristles, most hairs are spiraled (cork­screw­like) at apices. Aedeagus long and slender, apex trifid ( Figs. 30, 31 ). Epandrial lobes elongated with prominent paired dorsal and apical paralobi: proximal one with anterior tooth; apical one rounded ( Fig. 3 ). Gonostylus triangular with tapered apex ( Fig. 15 ). Ovipositor elongated, laterally compressed, consisting of apical 5 segments ( Fig. 60 ).

Head: Mystax with abundant long, gold hair; face bright gold tomentose. Antennal style elongated, almost as long as proceeding 3 segments. Thorax: Chaetotaxy with 2 notopleural; 2 supraalar; 3 postalar; and an irregular row of weak dorsocenteral bristles. Scutellum gray tomentose with sparse black hair; 6 marginal bristles. Pleurae gold/gray tomentose with black and yellow hair. Anepisternum with a distinct broad black lateral stripe, absent in females. Legs: Orange and black. Fore and mid femora black dorsally, orange ventrally and laterally. Hind femur black, apex orange ventrally. Tibia orange with black apices. Hind tibia with a short anterior row of 4 proximal bristles, absent in females. Fore basitarsus thickened with numerous strong stout ventral bristles and spatulate (spoon shaped) bristles; females without spatulate hair. Wings: Tinged yellow along veins, males less so. Abdomen: Black with bright gold lateral and marginal hair. Tergite 8 entirely black in males. Male genitalia pendulous, with a sagging, hanging appearance. Ovipositor slender and elongated as in Neoitamus .

Female specimens from Sŏnyudo Is. show greater wing pigmentation and darker abdominal hair than specimens from the mainland.

South Korean distribution. Ch ǒ llabuk ­Do Province. Kunsan. Wolmyong Park. 35°57’93”N, 126°41’78”E. Sŏnyudo Is. Okto­Myon. 35°49’18”N, 126°24’47”E. Ch ǒ llanam­Do Province. Pogildo Is. Wando Gun. Tadohaehaesang N.P. (no coordinates available). Kang­won­Do Province. Tonghae: East coast. Samcheok. 37°23’33”N, 129°13’34”E.

Material examined. 1ɗ: 22/VI/1998, Chŏllabuk­Do Province, Kunsan Wolmyong Park; 3Ψ: 1/VIII/2003, Chŏllabuk­Do Province, Sŏnyudo Is. Okto­Myon; 1ɗ: 18/VIII/ 1998, P.Tripotin coll., Chŏllanam­Do Province, Pogildo Is. Wando­Gun, Tadohaehaesang N.P.; 1ɗ, 6Ψ: 8/VI/2003, Kang won Do Province, Tonghae, East coast Samcheok.

Field notes. Astochia . virgatipes inhabits costal areas with sandy soil. The asilid occupies sympatric and allopatric habitats with Eutolmus brevistylus .

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 12. Male external genitalia, lateral views. 1. Aneomochtherus sinensis. 2. Asilella londti. 3. Astochia virgatipes. 4. Eutolmus brevistylus. 5. Machimus aurulentus. 6. Machimus cf. pastshenkoae 7. Mercuriana ussuriensis. 8. Neoitamus angusticornis. 9. Neoitamus castaneipennis. 10. Neoitamus cothurnatus univittatus. 11. Neoitamus zouhari. 12. Philonicus albiceps. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURES 13 – 25. Male gonopods, lateral views. 13. Aneomochtherus sinensis. 14. Asilella londti. 15. Astochia virgatipes. 16. Eutolmus brevistylus. 17. Eutolmus koreanus. 18. Machimus aurulentus. 19. Machimus cf. pastshenkoae. 20. Mercuriana ussuriensis. 21. Neoitamus angusticornis. 22. Neoitamus castaneipennis. 23. Neoitamus cothurnatus univittatus. 24. Neoitamus zouhari. 25. Philonicus albiceps. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURES 26 – 48. Male aedeagi, lateral and dorsal views. 26 – 27. Aneomochtherus sinensis lateral & apex. 28 – 29. Asilella londti lateral & apex. 30 – 31. Astochia virgatipes lateral & apex. 32 – 33. Eutolmus brevistylus lateral & apex. 34 – 35. Machimus aurulentus lateral & apex. 36 – 37. Machimus cf. pastshenkoae lateral & apex. 38 – 39. Mercuriana ussuriensis lateral & apex. 40 – 41. Neoitamus angusticornis lateral & dorsal. 42 – 43. Neoitamus castaneipennis lateral & dorsal. 44. Neoitamus cothurnatus univittatus lateral. 45 – 46. Neoitamus zouhari lateral & dorsal. 47 – 48. Philonicus albiceps lateral & apex.

FIGURES 58 – 66. Female external genitalia, lateral views. 58. Aneomochtherus sinensis. 59. Asilella londti. 60. Astochia virgatipes. 61. Eutolmus brevistylus. 62. Machimus aurulentus. 63. Machimus cf. pastshenkoae. 64. Mercuriana ussuriensis. 65. Neoitamus angusticornis. 66. Philonicus albiceps.