Astochia strachani Oldroyd, 1970 Figs 4, 24, 26

Astochia strachani Oldroyd, 1970: 312; Londt 1982: 249 (figs 17 (wing) 18-20 (♂ terminalia)).

Diagnosis.

Mystax whitish. Katatergal setae black and whitish. Anatergite with white setae. Scutellum disc with minute yellow-white setae. Mesonotal macrosetae black. Wings: Discal cell lacking microtrichia. Legs: Femora black and yellow-brown. Metathoracic femora with ventral macrosetae. ♀ with abdominal segments 1-5 pruinose. ♂ terminalia as in Fig. 4. The species was fully redescribed by Londt (1982).

Material.

Previously recorded and personally studied material: Kenya: 2♂ 2♀ 'Kenya Eastern / Katulani Kitui dist. [c. 01°22'S, 38°10'E 1150m] / malaise trap 26.x.1990 / J.A.M. Jansen’, 'NMSA-DIP 106725-8' (NMSA). Nigeria: 4♂ 2♀, holotype & paratype, Lagos [c. 06°31'N, 03°23'E 10m], G. Strachan (BMNH).

Material not studied but recorded by Oldroyd (1970): DRC: 1♂ 3♀, Costermansville [= Bukavu c. 02°31'S, 28°51'E 1685m], Kasongo [?], viii–ix .1959, J. Claessens (MRAC); 2♂ 1♀, Costermansville, Kapiti [?], iv.1912, Miss. Agric. (MRAC); 1♂, Lomani, Luputa [c. 07°10'S, 23°43'E 875m], ix.1935, Dr Bomans (MRAC); 1♂, Katanga, Elizabethville [= Lubumbashi c. 11°41'S, 27°30'E 1245m], route Sakania, 21.viii.1952, L. Remy (MRAC). Sierra Leone: 1♂, Nzala [c. 08°06'N, 12°03'W 67m], 23.iii.1962, M. Rushton (MRAC).

Newly recorded material: Ivory Coast: 1♂ ‘Cöte D’Ivoire: 28 km / W Bouaflé . Maraoué / Nat Park 19.iv.1989 / 06°59'N, 05°54'W [c. 205m] / JGH Londt. Woodland / and forest margins’, ‘NMSA-DIP-03394’ (NMSA). Kenya: 1♀ 'Kenya, Rift Valley / Prov., Olloitokitok [Oloitokitok] / 1853m. 2.94456S, 37.50714E [c. 02°57'S, 37°30'E]', 'Malaise trap, edge of / indigenous forest / 11-25 Nov 2011 / R. Copeland’ (ICIPE). Malawi: 1♀ 'A>A1 / Mt. Mlanje [Mulanje Massif c. 15°55'S, 35°39'E], / Nyasaland, / 6.xi.1913. / S.A. Neave’, 'Pres. by / Imp. Bur. Ent. / 1921 –9,’ ' Philodicus / sp indet’, 'BMNH (E) 664089' - Prey pinned alongside 'A1<A / Mt. Mlanje, / Nyasaland, / 6.xi.1913. / S.A. Neave’, 'Pres. by / Imp. Bur. Ent. / 1921 –9,’, 'Pres. by / Imp. Bur. Ent. / 1921 –9,’, 'Anthomy / idea [ Diptera] / det. 1936 / J. Smart.' (BMNH); 1♀ 'Malawi Mulanje Mnt. / Likabula river valley [c. 15°59'S, 35°40'E 775m] / 28-30.xi.1980 1535Dc / 1000m Stuckenberg & / Londt Riverine / Brachystegia woodland’, ‘NMSA-DIP-03362’ [previously recorded as africana] (NMSA). Uganda: 3♂ 1♀ Ankole, Kichwamba [c. 0°13'14"S, 30°05'54"E 1155m], 23-29.iv.1968, P.J. Spangler (USNMENT01518175-8).

Distribution, phenology and biology.

Widely distributed from East Africa (Kenya, Malawi, Uganda) through Central Africa (DRC) to West Africa (Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Sierra Leone) (Fig. 26), straddling the equator. Collected in March and April as well as August through to November (Table 1). Found mainly associated with indigenous forest and woodland environments. Fig. 24 shows the habitat in which the species was collected at Oloitokitok in Kenya. A single prey item has been preserved ( Diptera: Anthomyiidae).

Key to species of Astochia