Argolepida telteca, 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 : 176-184

Argolepida telteca sp. n.

Zoobank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:5E429BD4-7AA7-473E-B94C-3F9478113A5A

( Figs 29–31 ; 32O, P ; 34D ; 36H ; 37 )

Diagnosis. Male frons almost entirely pubescent, female with emarginate glabrous area across frons; wing faint infuscate; abdominal tergites 1–5 with white, scale-like adpressed setae; femora brown, sometimes mid- and hind femur yellow.

Description. Body length: 5.0–7.0 mm. Head with male frons flat, uniform greyish silver pubescence with small linear glabrous patch centrally ( Fig. 32O ), female frons raised, greyish silver, irregular domed glabrous area medially ( Fig. 32P ), few short pale setae below ocellar tubercle; postocular setae pale, occiput pubescence grey, white, scale-like setae abundant medially; antennal scape brown, overlain with grey pubescence, flagellum brown. Thorax with scutal pubescence dark brown, 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, few white scale-like setae on anepisternum and katepisternum, katatergite with admixed strong filiform and scale-like setae, anepisternum brownish in dorsal half; coxae dark, overlain with silver-grey pubescence, pale macrosetae admixed with erect scale-like setae, mid coxa without setae on posterior surface; femora dark yellow, brown basally, more extensive on forefemur, dense covering of white scale-like adpressed setae; tibiae yellow, dark grey-brown apically; tarsi brown, yellow basally; wing hyaline, infuscate along wing veins, basally in radial cells; venation yellow basally along major veins, darker distally; haltere uniform pale orange. Abdomen base colour mostly dark brown, adpressed white scale-like setae on segments 1–5, black on remainder; terminalia brown. Male and female genitalia as per genus description except ejaculatory apodeme broadly spatulate anteriorly, lateral ejaculatory apodeme relatively large.

Etymology. The species epithet is derived from the type locality, Telteca provincial reserve in Mendoza Province.

Comments. Argolepida telteca sp. n. is closely related to A. atacama sp. n., with similar markings and frontal patterns. This species is distributed along the Western slopes of the Andes in Northern Argentina; it overlaps in distribution with P. rivulosa and P. schlingeri sp. n.

Type material. Holotype male, ARGENTINA: Mendoza Province: Parque Provincial Telteca [-32.3822, - 68.0546], inland dunes, Malaise trap, 10–23.X.1997, M.E. Irwin, F.D. Parker, S. Roig (MEI106523; MNBR) . Paratypes. ARGENTINA: Mendoza Province: 5 male, 4 females, same data as holotype (MEI106515–20, 106531, 106535, 106799; CSCA, CASC, UCCS) ; 1 female, 20 km N. Parque Provincial Telteca [-32.2916, -67.3878], ex. Cerecidium blooms in sandy area, 23.X.1997, M.E. Irwin, F.D. Parker, S. Roig (MEI106536; CSCA) . La Rioja Province: 1 female, Villa Mervil , 22 km E. Aimogasta [-28.6482, -66.6083], 760 m, sifted in dunes, 14.XI.1999, M.E. Irwin, F.D. Parker (MEI106545; CSCA) ; 1 female, 2 km N. Villa Castelli [-28.9977, -68.2027], 13.X.1997, M.E. Irwin, F.D. Parker, S. Roig (MEI134861; CSCA) . San Juan Province: 1 female, 14 km E. El Encón [-32.2044, -67.6608], 500 m, hand netted, dunes, 1.XI.1999, M.E. Irwin, F.D. Parker (MEI134860; CSCA) ; 1 female, 13 km WSW. Marayes [-31.5555, -67.4344], Malaise , 10–23.X.1997, M.E. Irwin, F.D. Parker (MEI106537; CSCA) . Catamarca Province: 1 female, 6 km N. Santa Maria [-26.6654, -66.0214], 1900 m, 19.II.1967, sand dune, M.E. Irwin (MEI00005; CSCA) . Salta Province: 1 female, 20 km N. Cafayate [-26.0819, -65.8235], 1559 m, sandy ravine, 26.X–13.XI.2003, M.E. Irwin, F.D. Parker ( CSCA) .

Figures

FIGURE 29. Argolepida telteca sp. n.: male, oblique view.

FIGURE 30. Argolepida telteca sp. n.: female, oblique view.

FIGURE 31. Argolepida telteca 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.