Astochia armata (Becker, 1909)

Londt, Jason G. H., 1982, Afrotropical Asilidae (Diptera) 7. The genus Astochia Becker, 1913 (Asilinae: Asilini), ANNALS OF THE NATAL MUSEUM 25 (1), pp. 241-251 : 245-246

Astochia armata (Becker, 1909) Figs 1 , 7-10.

Neoitamus armatus Becker, 1909: 114 ; Becker, 1910: 22; Hull, 1962: 557.

Astochia armata ; Lindner, 1955: 41; Oldroyd, 1970: 312, Oldroyd, 1980: 336.

Redescription: Based on all the material examined.

Head: Antennae dark red-brown to black with mostly black setae (there are a few yellow setae on ventral aspect of segment one). Mystax mostly yellow but there are a few black setae in upper part. Occipital bristles pale yellow (may be the odd black one), short and not proclinate. Proboscis and palpi dark red-brown to black with shiny yellow-white setae.

Thorax: Mesepimeral and hypopleural setae whitish. Mesonotal setae: dorsocentrals-about 5 pairs thin black setae mostly posterior of transverse suture; humerals-Iongish white setae; presuturals-2 black; supra-alars-2 black (one is poorly developed); postalars-l black; scutellars-2 yellow. Metanotal callosities with yellow setae. Wings: 7,2 X 2,1 mm; venation and microtrichial distribution as in Fig. 7 . Legs: Forecoxa with white setae anteriorly; hindcoxa with 1 white bristle laterally. Femora orange-brown with anterior faces dark red-brown. Tibiae and tarsomeres yellow-brown with dark red-brown distal tips. Midtibia of cf' equipped with a single, large, black bristle ventrally. Setation of hindfemur: bristles yellow (2 in number usually- 1 may be black); longer setae yellowish; minor setae fine yellow-white, a well-developed strip of white closely-packed setae along ventral side in cf'.

Abdomen: In ♀ segments 1 -5 pruinose, rest shiny black. Ovipositor long and narrow. Terga and sterna covered with fine, yellow setae except along dorsal midline where they are black. T5 of cf' has a row of strong, ventrally directed, yellow bristles. cf' genitalia as Figs 8-10 .

Material examined: KENYA: 1 ♂,? Livingippe (or Lorengippe) Turkana (illegible), 30.iii.1967, E. S. Brown ( BM) . MALAWI: 4 ♂ 3 ♀, Senga Hills ca. 500 m, Brachystegia woodland near lake, 1 -2.xii.1980, Stuckenberg & Londt ( NM) . ZIMBABWE: 1 ♀, by Sanyati R., nr. Kariba Camp , Tsetse Fly Ops. , 8.i. 1956. R. Goodier, found in sandy area by river bank ( BM) . SOUTH AFRICA: Natal: 3 ♂ 4 ♀, Junction of Blaauw Krantz and Tugela R. , x. 1896, G. A. K. Marshall ( BM) ; 1 ♂, Insuzi River nr Qudeni , 25. ii.1962, A. L. Bevis ( DMAG) .

Other recorded material: KENYA: 1 ♂ 1 ♀ types (? syntypes), Voi, 1906 (recorded by Becker 1909-repository not known) . TANZANIA: 2 ♂, Dar-es­Salaam, Mburumfiuss , 21 bis 24. xii.1951 (recorded by Lindner , 1955-repository probably ZSM) . ZAIRE: 2 ♀, Garamba National Park , 28.ii.1951 ; 1 ♀, same locality, 20.iii.1950 (recorded by Oldroyd, 1970-repository probably KMT) .

Remarks: Becker (1909) did not designate a holotype and so his specimens must be considered as syntypes. While I have not studied his material I hereby designate the male as lectotype. I collected species near the shore of Lake Malawi about 100 m north of the Grand Beach Hotel. The habitat was very dry at the time. Individuals were often seen perched at the tips of long dried-out grass stems. A copulating pair was captured in just such a situation. The species occupies a habitat quite different from that of A. africana . The adults are apparently active from December to March ( Table 1 ).

Figures

Fig. 1. Astochia armata (Becker), entire male (Malawi).

Figs 7-10. Astochia armata (Becker), male (Kenya). 7. Wing ca. 7 mm. 8-10. Male genitalia. 8. Lateral. 9. Dorsal. 10. Ventral.