Oligopogon snowi, 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 : 306

Oligopogon snowi sp. n.

Fig. 2A

Oligopogon harlequini: Londt 2012: 24

Etymology: Named for William ‘Bill’ Snow in recognition of his collecting activities in The Gambia which have greatly contributed to our understanding of West African Asilidae (See Londt 2010, 2012).

Description:

Head: Dark red-brown to black, red-gold dull silver pruinose, extensively black setose. Antenna: Dark brown. Segmental ratios: 1:1.2:4.2:2.4 (scape, pedicel, postpedicel, style). Scape and pedicel of similar development, black setose. Postpedicel circular in cross-section, tapering gradually distally. Style of similar diameter to distal end of postpedicel, equipped with long red-brown setae projecting from all surfaces. Face, frons and vertex red-gold pruinose, mystax black, ocellar macrosetae black. Occiput uniform dull silver pruinose (See Fig. 2A), black setose dorsally, white ventrally. Face to head width ratio in anterior view 1:3.7 (face narrower than one eye). Proboscis orange-brown, straight, white setose. Palpi minute, 2-segmented, white setose.

Thorax: Dark red-brown to black, extensively gold-silver pruinose, black and pale yellow setose. Mesonotum: Extensively pruinose with following apruinose areas: much of postpronotal lobe, small lateral area anterior to transverse suture, large subtriangular area postsuture, much of postalar lobe. 2 black npl (other macrosetae poorly developed), general setae red-brown and yellow. Scutellum dark red-brown, largely silver pruinose except for broad apical margin, fine dark red-brown setose (apical macrosetae poorly differentiated). Pleura fairly uniformly silver pruinose. Katatergal setae pale yellow-white. Legs: Coxae dark red-brown, silver pruinose, whitish setose. Trochanters dark red-brown, pale yellow-white setose. Femora, tibiae and tarsi orange, mixed dark red-brown and pale yellowish setose. Wings: 3.9 × 1.3 mm (holotype). Veins brown-yellow. Membrane transparent, unstained, entirely lacking microtrichia.

Abdomen: Terga dark red-brown, largely apruinose except for extensive silver pruinose anterolateral margins, white setose. Sterna dark red-brown, extensively silver-gold pruinose except for lateral spots and hind margins, white setose. Terminalia orange-brown (♂), dark red-brown (♀).

Holotype: GAMBIA: 1♂ ‘ Keneba [13°20’N 16°01’W], Gambia / 16.vii.72, at light’ ( NMSA).

Paratypes: GAMBIA: 1♂ ‘Keneba, Gambia / 21.vii.71, at light’ ; 1♀ ‘Keneba, Gambia / 22.vii.71, at light’; 3♂ 1♀ same data as holotype ; 1♀ ‘Keneba, Gambia / 11.viii.72, at light’.

Note: This material, collected by Bill Snow, was listed by Londt (2012) as harlequini . One female specimen was incorrectly identified as a male and 1 male has been damaged and excluded from the type series above.

Distribution ( Table 1), phenology (Table 2) and biology: The species is known only from the type locality. Collected only during July and August. The type locality is in an area dominated by open savanna. All specimens were collected at light.