Oligopogon argolagon, Londt, 2014

Londt, Jason G. H., 2014, A revision of Afrotropical Oligopogon Loew, 1847 (Diptera: Asilidae) with the description of eighteen new species, African Invertebrates 55 (2), pp. 269-269 : 280-283

Oligopogon argolagon sp. n.

Figs 2A, 14–16, 31

Etymology: From Greek argos (white, bright) and lagon f. (flank). In reference to the white katatergal setae possessed by this species.

Description:

Head: Dark red-brown to black, red-gold and silver pruinose, extensively black setose. Antenna: Dark red-brown. Segmental ratios: 1:1.0: 3.4:2.4 (scape, pedicel, postpedicel, style). Scape and pedicel of similar development, black setose. Postpedicel circular in cross-section, tapering distally. Style of similar diameter to distal end of postpedicel, equipped with long dark red-brown setae projecting from all surfaces. Face silver pruinose, frons and vertex red-gold pruinose, mystax black, ocellar macrosetae black. Occiput uniform dull red-gold pruinose (See Fig. 2A), black setose dorsally, white ventrally. Face to head width ratio in anterior view 1:3.2 (face narrower than one eye). Proboscis dark red-brown, straight, white setose. Palpi minute, 2-segmented, white setose.

Thorax: Dark red-brown to black, extensively red-gold and silver pruinose, black and pale yellow-white setose. Mesonotum: Extensively pruinose except for following apruinose areas: much of postpronotal lobe, small sub-circular dorsolateral spot postsuture, elongate area involving postalar lobe. 2 black npl, 1 black spal, 1 black pal (other macrosetae poorly developed), general setae longish dark red-brown. Scutellum dark red-brown, silver pruinose except for tiny lateral areas, fine dark red-brown setose (2 long apical macrosetae moderately differentiated). Pleura fairly uniformly silver pruinose. Katatergal setae yellow-white. Legs: Coxae red-brown, silver pruinose, white setose. Trochanters brown-orange, mainly pale yellow-white setose. Femora brown-orange, mixed dark red-brown and pale yellowish setose. Tibiae and tarsi brown-orange, mostly dark red-brown setose. Wings: 4.3 × 1.3 mm (holotype). Veins orange-brown. Membrane transparent, unstained, entirely lacking microtrichia.

Abdomen: Terga dark red-brown, largely apruinose except for silver pruinose anterolateral margins, dark red-brown and white setose. Sterna dark red-brown, extensively silver-gold pruinose, white setose. ♂ terminalia ( Figs 14–16) and ♀ terminalia red-brown.

Holotype: SOUTH AFRICA: 1♂ ‘ South Africa: Cape Prov / Port Elizabeth Cape / Recife area 3425BA / 22–27.xii.1995 / J.G.H. Londt. Reserve’ ( NMSA).

Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: 1♂ ‘ South Africa, Natal / Zululand , Ndumu [= Ndumo] Game / Reserve , 26- x-1972 / ME Irwin, 2632 Cc’ ; 7♀ ‘ South Africa: Natal / Kosi Bay Nat. Reserve / 2632DD 30.xi.–2.xii.82 / Londt, Barraclough & / Stuckenberg Forest / & open woodland areas’ ; 2♀ ‘ South Africa, Natal Prov / Zululand ; 20 mi. S. Ndumu / Game Res. Camp (2732 Aa ) / Nov. 29, 1971; ME& BJ Irwin / dry scrub forest; 320 ft’ ; 7♂ 2♀ ‘ So. Africa: Cape Prov. / 8 km S. Alexandria / 3.xi.1978 3326CD / R. Miller & J. Londt / road & forest margin’ ; 14♂ 9♀ same data as holotype ( ZMHB 1♂ 1♀) ; 4♂ ‘ Ndumu Reserve [26°55'S 32°15'E] / Ingwavuma District / Tongaland, S. Africa / B. & P. Stuckenberg / 1–10 December 1963 ’; 1♂ ‘ S Africa: KwaZulu-Natal / St Lucia 9–13.iii.2004 17m / 28°22’10.8”S 32°25’09.5”E / J.G.H. Londt Coastal Bush’ ; 1♂ ‘ Aliwal North [30°42'S 26°42'E] / Cape Province / Dec. 1922 ’, ‘ S. Africa / R.E. Turner / Brit. Mus. / 1923-45’ ( BMNH #1029998 ) ; 1♂ ‘ South Africa / C.P. Kenton-on-sea [33°42'S 26°41'E] / 2.i.1972 / D.J. Greathead’ ( BMNH #1030002 ) ; 2♂ ‘ Delagoa Bay . [error – should read Algoa Bay = Port Elizabeth – 33°58'S 25°35'E] / 8.11.1935 ’, ‘ S Africa: / R.E. Turner / B.M. 1935-73’ ( BMNH #10300023 ) .

Note: The following specimen from East Africa keys to argolagon but is poorly preserved and almost certainly dispecific. Further material is required before a meaningful allocation can be made. 1♀ ‘ Kenya SE / Lamu prov., Witu / Kipini [02°23'S 40°26'E] 10.iv.2004 / M. Snižek lgt .’.

Distribution ( Table 1), phenology (Table 2) and biology: The type locality is the Cape Recife Nature Reserve (34°01'S 25°42'E, 10 m) near Port Elizabeth. The species is fairly widely distributed in the eastern parts of southern Africa ( Fig. 31), with many localities being coastal. Collected from October through to March. Found in open woodland, dry scrub forest and coastal scrub vegetation.