Argolepida patagonia, Irwin & Winterton, 2021

Irwin, Michael E. & Winterton, Shaun L., 2021, Revision of South American stiletto fly genus Argolepida Metz & Irwin (Diptera: Therevidae: Therevinae), Zootaxa 5068 (2), pp. 151-185 : 166-169

Argolepida patagonia sp. n.

Zoobank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4C8C9C4F-1B20-4209-B1F4-D7BCFC740720

( Figs 17–20 ; 32I, J ; 34A ; 36E ; 37 )

Diagnosis. Male frons with at most a minute, medial, glabrous area, female with sub–quadrangular glabrous area across frons; wing with distinct markings; abdominal tergites 1–6 with white scale-like adpressed setae; femora mostly dark basally.

Description. Body length: 4.0–5.0 mm. Head with frons flat (male) ( Fig. 32I ) or slightly raised (female) ( Fig. 32J ), pubescence light brown dorsally, greyish silver ventrally, glossy black glabrous area medially, very small in male, sub-quadrangular and surrounded with orange pubescence in female; frons with few short pale setae below ocellar tubercle; postocular setae light brown, occiput pubescence grey, white, scale-like setae abundant medially; antennal scape and flagellum brown, overlain with grey pubescence. Thorax with scutal pubescence brown, large dark spot often adjacent to supra-alar callus, short erect filiform setae admixed with adpressed white scale-like setae, denser anteriorly; scutal macrosetae brown (chaetotaxy as per genus description); pleuron with dense silver-grey pubescence admixed with extensive semi-erect white scale-like setae; katatergite with admixed strong filiform and scale-like setae; coxae dark, overlain with silver-grey pubescence, setae white, mid coxa without setae on posterior surface; femora yellow, grey-brown in apical third, dense covering of white scale-like adpressed setae; tibiae yellow, dark grey-brown apically; tarsi brown; wing hyaline with areas of white translucency; dark markings apically in cells cu-p, bm and d, and centrally in cell br; venation dark; haltere orange. Abdomen base colour mostly dark brown, adpressed white scale-like setae on segments 1–6, black on rest; terminalia brown. Male and female genitalia as per genus description except ejaculatory apodeme broadly spatulate anteriorly, lateral ejaculatory apodeme relatively large.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the Patagonian region where this species is found.

Comments. Argolepida patagonia sp. n. is a distinctive, yet variable species with the intensity of wing markings and size of lateral brown spots of the scutum varying from faint to very dark, and coverage of white adpressed setae ranging from dense to sparse. This species appears closely related to A. schlingeri sp. n.; it is distributed widely in southern Argentina and Chile.

Type material. Holotype male, CHILE: Aysén Province: Chile Chico [-46.5385, -71.7132], 250 m, dunes near lake, 21.XI.1966, E.I. Schlinger, M.E. Irwin (MEI00097; UCCS) . Paratypes. CHILE: Aysén Province: 19 males, 9 females, same data as holotype (MEI00014, 00074–6, 00087–106, 000165–9; UCCS, CSCA) .

Other material examined. ARGENTINA: Chubut Province: 26 males, 23 females, Arroyo Pescado [approximated as -43.0872, -70.8629], 630 m, fine blown dune sand, 19.XI.1966, M.E. Irwin, E.I. Schlinger (MEI00027–31, 00121–132, 00135–159; CSCA, CASC, MNBR) . Santa Cruz Province: 6 males, 2 females, 2 km S. Calenta Olivia [approximated as -46.4933, -67.4804], 10 m, coastal dunes, 12.XII.1967, E.I. Schlinger, M.E. Irwin (MEI00033–38, 00059, 00069–70; CSCA) ; 24 males, 3 females, 25 km S Comodoro Rivadavia [-46.0914, -67.6412], 30 m, hand net on hillside dune, 7.I.2006, M.E. Irwin ( CSCA); 6 males, 2.8 km E Los Antiguos [approximated as -46.5570, -71.5924], 280 m, river dune, 21.XI.1966, M.E. Irwin & E.I. Schlinger (MEI00077, 00081–86; CSCA) . Neuquen Province: 3 females, Rio Agrio near Bajada del Agrio [approximated as -38.4044, -70.0406], 600 m, river bottom dunes, M.E. Irwin, E.I. Schlinger (MEI00039–41; CSCA); 1 female, 10.2 km S. Zapala [approximated as -38.9909, -70.1017], 1020 m, 17.XII.1966, E.I. Schlinger, M.E. Irwin (MEI00042; CSCA) .

Figures

FIGURE 17. Argolepida patagonia sp. n.: male, oblique view.

FIGURE 18. Argolepida patagonia sp. n.: male, lateral view.

FIGURE 19. Argolepida patagonia sp. n.: female, oblique view.

FIGURE 20. Argolepida patagonia sp. n.: female, lateral view.

FIGURE 32. Argolepida spp. heads, anterior view. A. Argolepida atacama sp. n., male; B. Argolepida atacama sp. n., female; C. A. camposi sp. n., male; D. A. camposi sp. n., female; E. A. jama sp. n., male; F. A. jama sp. n., female; G. A. oasis sp. n., male; H. A. oasis sp. n., female; I. A. patagonia sp. n., male; J. A. patagonia sp. n., female; K. A. rivulosa (Kröber, 1928), male; L. A. rivulosa (Kröber, 1928), female; M. A. schlingeri sp. n., male; N. A. schlingeri sp. n., female; O. A. telteca sp. n., male; P. A. telteca sp. n., female.

FIGURE 34. Argolepida spp. wings. A. Argolepida patagonia sp. n.; B. A. rivulosa (Kröber, 1928); C. A. schlingeri sp. n.; D. A. telteca sp. n.

FIGURE 36. Argolepida spp. male aedeagi, dorsal view (upper) and lateral view (lower). A. Argolepida atacama sp. n.; B. A. camposi sp. n.; C. A. jama sp. n.; D. A. oasis sp. n.; E. A. patagonia sp. n.; F. A. rivulosa (Kröber, 1928); G. A. schlingeri sp. n.; H. A. telteca sp. n.

FIGURE 37. Distribution of Argolepida species in Southern South America.