Astochia armata (Becker, 1909)

Londt, Jason G. H., 2019, A revision of Afrotropical Astochia Becker, 1913 with descriptions of three new species (Diptera, Asilidae, Asilini), African Invertebrates 60 (2), pp. 215-237 : 218-221

Astochia armata (Becker, 1909) Figs 2 , 5 , 25

Neoitamus armatus Becker, 1909: 114; Becker 1910: 22; Hull 1962: 557.

Astochia armata : Lindner 1955: 41; Oldroyd 1970: 312 (fig. 78 (♂ terminalia)); Oldroyd 1980: 336; Londt 1982: 245 (figs 1 (entire ♂, 7 wing, 8-10 ♂ terminalia)).

Diagnosis.

Mystax whitish. Katatergal setae white. Anatergite with white setae. Scutellum disc with white setae. Mesonotal macrosetae black. Wings: Discal cell lacking microtrichia. Legs: Femora black and yellow-brown. Metathoracic femora lacking ventral macrosetae. ♀ with abdominal segments 1-5 pruinose. ♂ terminalia as in Fig. 2 . The species was fully redescribed by Londt (1982).

Material.

Previously recorded and personally studied material: Kenya: 1♂, Livingippe (or Lorengippe illegible) Turkana [c. 03°07'N, 35°36'E 500m], 30.iii.1976, E.E. Brown (BMNH). Malawi: 1♂ 1♀ '♂ + ♀ / in copulo’, 'Malawi Senga Hills [c. 13°42'S, 34°35'E 480m] / 1-2.xii.1980 1334DA / ca. 500m Stuckenberg / & Londt Brachystegia / woodland near lake’ 1♂ 1♀ (pinned together) ‘NMSA-DIP-106712’ (NMSA); 4♂ 3♀ 'Malawi Senga Hills / 1-2.xii.1980 1334DA / ca. 500m Stuckenberg / & Londt Brachystegia / woodland near lake’ 1♂ ‘NMSA-DIP-03375’; 1♂ 1♀ ‘NMSA-DIP-106710-1’; 1♂ 1♀ ‘NMSA-DIP-106729-30’ (NMSA). South Africa: 1♂ 1♀ 'S. Africa: Transvaal / 30km W Hoedspruit [c. 24°26'S, 30°37'E 580m] / 27/xi.1978 / Brothers & J-Guillarmod’, 1♂ ‘NMSA-DIP-106713’; 1♀ 'NMSA- DIP- 03370' (NMSA); 3♂ 4♀, Junction of Blaauw Krantz and Tugela R. [?], x.1896, G.A.K. Marshall (BMNH); 1♂, Insuzi River nr. Qudeni [c. 28°36'S, 30°52'E 1605m], 25.ii.1962, A.L. Bevis (DMSA). Zimbabwe: 2♀, by Sanyati R., [c. 16°54'S, 28°48'E 890m] nr. Kariba Camp, Tsetse Fly Ops., 8.i.1956, R. Goodier, found in sandy area by river bank [only 1♀ recorded in 1982] (BMNH).

Material not studied but recorded by other authors: DRC: 2♀, Garamba National Park [c. 04°10'S, 29°30'E 800m], 28.ii.1951; 1♀, same locality, 20.iii.1950 [recorded by Oldroyd (1970) - repository probably MRAC]. Kenya: 1♂ 1♀ types (? Syntypes), Voi [c. 03°23'S, 38°33'E 575m], 1906 [recoded by Becker (1909) - repository unknown]. Tanzania: 2♂, Dar-es-Salaam [c. 06°48'S, 39°12'E 70m], Mburumfluss, 21 bis 24.xii.1951 [recorded by Lindner (1955) - repository probably Koninklijk Museum voor Midden-Africa, Tervuren.

Newly recorded material: Kenya: 1♀ 'Lorogumu [? Lorugum c. 2°53'29"N, 35°16'14"E 615m] / Turcana / Kenya / 13.4.54' (BMNH); 3♂ 1♀ 'Lorogumu / Turcana / Kenya / 14.4.54' (BMNH); 1♂ 'Kenya: Kajiado Dist. / Nguruman area 700m / 01°50'S, 36°56'E / Coll: I, Abu-Zinid / Date: 25.xi.1989', ‘NMSA-DIP-03359’ (NMSA); 1♀ 'Kenya, Coast Prov. / Kasigau Mtn. / bottom of forest. 737m. / 3.82080S, 38.64178E [c. 03°49'15"S, 38°38'31"E 730m]', 'Malaise trap. Woodland / with grass / 5-19 Oct 2011 / R. Copeland’, ‘2777’ (ICIPE). South Africa: 1♀ Wylie’s Poort [ Wyllie’s Poort 22°55'18"S, 29°55'43"E 965m], 5.xi.1920, C.J. Swierstra ‘USNMENT01518183’; 1♂ 'S Africa: N Province #56 / Ben Lavin Nature Reserve / 23°08'S, 29°57'E 2700 ft [c. 825 m] / Date: 20.xi.1997 / Coll: Barraclough & Jones / Malaise trap’, ‘NMSA-DIP-03363’ (NMSA); 4♂ 8♀ 'R.S.A: KZ-Natal #77 / Itala Game Reserve / 27°28'S, 31°17'E 450 m / Date: 5.xi.1997 / Coll: J.G.H. & A. Londt / Pongola River’, 1♂ ‘NMSA-DIP-03365’; 6♀ ‘NMSA-DIP-106715-20’; 2♂ 2♀ ‘NMSA-DIP-61406-9’ (NMSA); 2♂ 'RSA: KZ-Natal #48 / Hluhluwe Game Reserve / 28°05'S, 32°02'E 180 m / Date: 12-15.i.1995 / Coll: D.A. Barraclough / For. Margins + riv. gullies’, 1♂ ‘NMSA-DIP-03361’; 1♂ ‘NMSA-DIP-106721’ (NMSA); 1♀ South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal: Mhlopeni Nature Reserve, 29°01'13"S, 030°25'01"E, 860 m, 2004 –02– 13, Acacia savannah, Londt, J., Dikow, T. (USNMENT00914291).

Distribution, phenology and biology.

Widely distributed from East Africa (Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania) and eastern DRC to Southern Africa (South Africa, Zimbabwe) ( Fig. 25 ). Collected from October through to April (Table 1 ). Found associated with forest margins, woodland and more open savannah environments. A few specimens have been found close to rivers. Fig. 5 shows the habitat in which the species was collected at Mhlopeni Nature Reserve in South Africa, while Fig. 6 shows the malaise trap environment at Kasigau Mountain in Kenya.

Figures

Figure 5. Astochia armata habitat at Mhlopeni Nature Reserve (Photo: Torsten Dikow - 13 February 2004).

Figure 6. Astochia armata habitat at Kasigau Mountain (Photo: Bob Copeland - 19 May 2011).

Figure 25. Distribution of Astochia species: A. africana, A. armata, A. neavensis.

Figures 1 - 4. Lateral views of Astochia male terminalia as illustrated by Londt (1982): 1 A. africana 2 A. armata 3 A. sodalis 4 A. strachani.