Oligopogon torsteni, 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 : 308

Oligopogon torsteni sp. n.

Figs 2A, 35

Etymology: Named for Torsten Dikow in admiration of his contributions to our knowledge of Asilidae and for the personal encouragement he has given me.

Description:

Head: Dark red-brown to black, gold-silver pruinose, extensively black setose.Antenna: Red-brown. Segmental ratios: 1:1.2: 4.4:2.4 (scape, pedicel, postpedicel, style). Scape and pedicel of similar development, black setose. Postpedicel long, circular in cross-section, almost parallel-sided, tapering distally. Style of similar diameter to distal end of postpedicel, equipped with long red-brown setae projecting from all surfaces. Face, frons and vertex fine gold-silver pruinose, mystax black, ocellar macrosetae black. Occiput uniform gold-silver pruinose (See Fig. 2A), black setose dorsally, white ventrally. Face to head width ratio in anterior view 1:3.9 (face narrower than one eye). Proboscis red-brown, straight, white setose. Palpi minute, 2-segmented, white setose.

Thorax: Dark red-brown to black, extensively silver to gold-silver pruinose, black and pale yellow-white setose. Mesonotum: Extensively pruinose with following apruinose areas: much of postpronotal lobe, two small lateral patches anterior to transverse suture, large lateral subtriangular area postsuture, much of postalar lobe, pair of narrow strips failing to reach anterior or posterior margins. 2 black npl, 1 black spal, 1 black pal (other macrosetae poorly developed), general setae longish predominantly dark red-brown. 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. Legs: Coxae red-brown, silver pruinose, whitish setose.Trochanters red-brown, pale yellow-white setose. Femora dark red-brown with brown-yellow proximal and distal ends, mixed dark red-brown and pale yellow-white setose. Tibiae and tarsi brown-yellow, mostly dark red-brown setose. Wings: 4.5 × 1.5 mm (holotype). Veins brown-yellow. Membrane transparent, unstained, entirely lacking microtrichia.

Abdomen: Terga dark red-brown, largely apruinose except for silver pruinose anterolateral margins, white setose. Sterna dark red-brown, extensively silver-gold pruinose except for lateral and posterior areas, white setose. Terminalia brown-yellow (♂), red-brown (♀). Holotype: SOUTH AFRICA: 1♂ ‘ South Africa 2429AC / Transvaal 10 km SE / Potgietersrus on rd / to Zebediela 24–7.i. / 1978 J.G.H. Londt / Bushveld’ ( NMSA).

Paratypes: BOTSWANA: 1♂ ‘ Botswana SE 2226BD / Farmers Brigade 5 km / SE of Serowe Hillside / N slope P Forchhammer / Malaise Trap 2 / xi-86 ’. SOUTH AFRICA: 4♀ 1? Same data as holotype ( NMSA, BMNH 1♀) ; 1♀ ‘ Transvaal RSA / Kruger Nat. Park / Letaba / 2331DC / 3–6.xii.1973 / J. van Reenen’ ; 1♀ ‘ South Africa, N.W. Tvl. / Mogol Nature Reserve / Ellisras Dist. 23.58S / 27.45E 19–23.xi.1979 / JS van Tonder, C Kok / GL Prinsloo, MW Mansell’ ( SANC) ; 1♀ ‘ Sth Africa: Limpopo / Het Bad Nature Reserve / 24°54’39”S: 28°16’49”E / J.G.H. Londt & T. Dikow / 1111 m 17.ii.2005 Acacia / woodland. Dry sandy soil’ ; 1♀ ‘ South Africa, Tvl / Soutpan , Pretoria Dist. / 25.24S / 28.06E 16.xi.1983 M.W. Mansell’ ( SANC) ; 1♀ ‘ South Africa, Tvl / O.T.K. Reserve nr / Loskopdam 25.27S / 29.24E 9–11.xii. / 1985 C. D. Eardley’ ( SANC) . Distribution ( Table 1), phenology (Table 2) and biology: The species is known from the northern parts of South Africa and from Botswana ( Fig. 35). It has been collected from November to February. This is an open woodland savanna species.