Oligopogon agnostos, 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 : 277-280

Oligopogon agnostos sp. n.

Fig. 2E

Etymology: From Greek agnostos (unknown, obscure). In reference to a lack of understanding surrounding this species.

Description:

Head: Dark red-brown to black, gold-silver pruinose, extensively black setose.Antenna: Dark red-brown. Segmental ratios: 1:1.2: 3.3:3.5 (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 black setae projecting from all surfaces. Face, frons and vertex gold-silver pruinose, mystax black, ocellar macrosetae black. Occiput dull silver pruinose except for two large subtriangular apruinose areas between dorsal eye margin and cervical region (see Fig. 2E), black setose dorsally, white ventrally. Face to head width ratio in anterior view 1:4.4 (face much narrower than one eye). Proboscis dark red-brown, straight, white setose. Palpi minute, 2-segmented, white setose.

Thorax: Dark red-brown to black, extensively silver-gold and silver pruinose, black, pale yellow and white setose. Mesonotum: Extensively pruinose with following apruinose areas: postpronotal lobes, narrow strip along transverse suture laterally, large area posterolaterally involving much of postalar lobe (Mphingwe ♀ has short narrow medial apruinose stripes). 2 black npl, 1 weak black sal, 1 weak black pal (other macrosetae poorly developed), general setae longish dark red-brown. Scutellum dark

TABLE 1

Afrotropical distribution of Oligopogon species by region and country.Abbreviations:A – Angola, Bo – Botswana, Bu – Burundi, C – DR Congo, Ga – The Gambia,

Gh – Ghana, I – Ivory Coast, IOI = Indian Ocean Islands, K – Kenya, L – Lesotho, Ma – Malawi, Md – Madagascar, Mo – Mozambique, Na – Namibia, Ni – Nigeria,

Se – Senegal, SE – Sudan / Egypt, So – South Africa, Sw – Swaziland, T – Tanzania, Za – Zambia, Zi – Zimbabwe. ■ = Recorded type locality. ● = Recorded. Region Southern Africa Central Africa East Africa West Africa IOI Country So L Sw Na Bo Mo Zi A Za Ma C T Bu K SE Ni Gh I Ga Se Md adonis ■ – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – agnostos – – – – – ■ – – ● ● – – – – – – – – – – – argolagon ■ – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – ater ■ – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – baringo – – – – – – – – – – – – – ■ – – – – – – – eburacta – – – – – – – – – – – – – ● – – – ■ – – – enigmatus ■ ● – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – freidbergi – – – – – – – – – – ● – – ■ – – – – – – – harlequini – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – ■ ● – – – – hemistego – – – – – – – ■ – – – – – – – – – – – – – hyacinthina ■ – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – hyalipennis – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – ■ kochi – – – ■ – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – mbambingomia – – – – – – – – – – ■ – – – – – – – – – – mhlopeni ■ – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

red-brown, largely apruinose except for silver anterior ⅓, fine dark red-brown setose (apical macrosetae poorly differentiated). Pleura uniformly strongly silver pruinose. Katatergal setae pale yellow-white. Legs : Coxae red-brown, silver pruinose, whitish setose. Trochanters brown-yellow proximally ( Zambia ♂ darker), red-brown distally, pale yellow-white setose. Femora dark red-brown with yellow-brown proximal ends (distal end pale red-brown), mixed dark red-brown and pale yellowish setose. Tibiae yellow-brown, darker distally, mostly dark red-brown setose. Tarsi yellow-brown, with dark red-brown setae. Wings: 5.1 × 1.7 mm (holotype). Veins brown, yellow proximally. Membrane transparent, unstained, entirely lacking microtrichia .

Abdomen: Terga red-brown, somewhat orange-brown laterally, apruinose except for tiny silver pruinose anterolateral areas, pale yellow and white setose. Sterna red-brown, somewhat orange-brown anteriorly, extensively gold-silver pruinose except laterally at midlength, white setose. ♂ and ♀ terminalia red-brown.

Holotype: MOZAMBIQUE: 1♂ ‘ Mozambique Catapu , / Mphingwe Camp [18°02’28”S 35°11’59”E], 32 km / S of Zambezi river; dry Millettia lowland forest; / GBP Davies; January 2007 ’ ( NMSA).

Paratypes: MALAWI: 1♀ ‘ Malawi: 2000’ / Mukwadzi For. [11°32'S 34°14'E] / 29.ii.1976 / I. Bampton’ . MOZAMBIQUE: 1♀ same data as holotype . ZAMBIA: 1♂ ‘ N. Rhodesia: / Senga Hill [13°42'S 34°35'E] / 40mi. S. of / Abercorn / II-12-58, 1580m’, ‘ E.S. Ross & R.E. Leech / collectors’ ( CASC) .

Distribution ( Table 1), phenology (Table 2) and biology: The few records suggest a central African species extending into tropical southern Africa. Collected during midsummer. Little available biological information, but collected in ‘dry Millettia lowland forest’.