Argolepida camposi, 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 : 155-157

Argolepida camposi sp. n.

Zoobank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:77B27FDD-51F4-436F-8C8E-A54B33C0C2F2

( Figs 6–9 ; 32C, D ; 33B ; 36B ; 37 )

Diagnosis. Male frons with at most a minute elongate medial glabrous area, female with relatively large, domed, glossy glabrous area; wing hyaline; abdominal tergites 1–7 with white, scale-like adpressed setae; femora brown to yellow.

Description. Body length: 5.0–7.0 mm. Head with male frons flat with uniform greyish silver pubescence with very small elongate glabrous area centrally ( Fig. 32C ), female frons distinctly raised, light brown dorsally, silver ventrally, large domed glabrous area medially, invaginated laterally ( Fig. 32D ), highly glossy, few short pale setae below ocellar tubercle; postocular setae pale, occiput pubescence grey with white, scale-like setae abundant medially; genae with extensive white setal pile; antennal scape brown, overlain with grey pubescence, flagellum brown with grey pubescence. Thorax with scutal pubescence dark brown with grey dorsocentral stripes, short erect filiform setae admixed with adpressed white scale-like setae, denser anteriorly, scutal macrosetae yellowish (chaetotaxy as per genus description); pleuron with dense silver-grey pubescence, extensive semi-erect white scale-like setae on anepisternum, katepisternum, katatergite and few setae on metakatepisternum; katatergite with admixed strong filiform and scale-like setae, anepisternum with slight grey-brown area dorsally; coxae dark, overlain with silver-grey pubescence and elongate white scale-like setae, absent on posterior surface of mid coxa; femora uniform yellow or dark grey-brown, dense covering of white scale-like adpressed setae; tibiae yellow, dark grey-brown apically; tarsi mostly brown, yellow basally; wing hyaline or infuscate in cell cup; venation yellow basally along major veins, darker distally; haltere uniform pale orange. Abdomen base colour dark brown dorsally, yellow laterally, extensive adpressed white scale-like setae on segments 1–7, black on rest; terminalia brown. Male and female genitalia as per genus description except ejaculatory apodeme slightly spatulate anteriorly, lateral ejaculatory apodeme relatively large.

Etymology. This species is named in honour of the late Luciano Campos, former Professor of Entomology, Universidad de Chile, who accompanied MEI on an expedition into the Atacama Desert where this species was discovered.

Comments. Argolepida camposi sp. n. is a highly distinctive species with extensive silvery-white pile of scalelike setae over much of the body, as well as the very large, domed callus on the female frons. This species is found in the far north of Chile close to the Peruvian border.

Type material. Holotype male, CHILE: Arica Province : mouth of Lluta River [-18.4111, -70.3206], 1.X.1966, M.E. Irwin (MEI00044; UCCS) . Paratypes. CHILE: Arica Province: 1 male, 1 female, Valle de Azapa [approximated as -18.4910, -70.3072], 250 m, 21.III.1967 (MEI00043, 00045; CSCA) ; 2 females, Quebrada de Chiza at Highway 5 [-19.1685, -70.1629], 400 m, dry wash under grass, 11.I.1989, B. R . Miller , L.A Stange (MEI30229–30; CSCA, UCCS) ; 1 male, Cuya [approximated as -19.1606, -70.1779], 16.II.1989, B. R . Miller, L.A Stange ( CSCA) .

Figures

FIGURE 6. Argolepida camposi sp. n.: male, oblique view.

FIGURE 7. Argolepida camposi sp. n.: male, lateral view.

FIGURE 8. Argolepida camposi sp. n.: female, oblique view.

FIGURE 9. Argolepida camposi 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 33. Argolepida spp. wings. A. Argolepida atacama sp. n.; B. A. camposi sp. n.; C. A. jama sp. n.; D. A. oasis 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.