A revision of Afrotropical Astochia Becker, 1913 with descriptions of three new species (Diptera, Asilidae, Asilini)
Author
Londt, Jason G. H.
text
African Invertebrates
2019
60
2
215
237
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/AfrInvertebr.60.38432
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/AfrInvertebr.60.38432
2305-2562-2-215
CA0D0E0336BF45F993BB844C1CF1BD64
5C2A2092E76958E79C6E93C56A0F66FF
Astochia
africana (Ricardo, 1919)
Figs 1
,
25
Neoitamus africanus
Ricardo, 1919: 73;
Oldroyd 1939
: 38;
Hull 1962
: 557;
Oldroyd 1970
: 313.
Astochia africana
:
Oldroyd 1980
: 336;
Londt 1982
: 243 (figs 2 (wing), 3 (♀ ovipositor), 5-7 (♂ terminalia)).
Diagnosis.
Mystax black. Katatergal setae black. Anatergite with black and white setae. Scutellum disc with black setae. Mesonotal macrosetae black. Wings: Discal cell microtrichose. Legs: Femora entirely black. Metathoracic femora with ventral macrosetae. ♀ with abdominal segments 1-5 pruinose. ♂ terminalia as in
Fig. 1
. The species was fully redescribed by
Londt (1982)
.
Figures 1-4.
Lateral views of
Astochia
male terminalia as illustrated by
Londt (1982)
:
1
A. africana
2
A. armata
3
A. sodalis
4
A. strachani
.
Material.
Previously recorded and personally studied material: Kenya: 3♀, lectotype & paralectotypes, Edge of forest on S & E slopes of Mt Kenya [
c.
00°10'S
,
37°26'E
3000m], 6000-7000 ft [
c.
2000 m], 3-12.ii.1911, S.A. Neave (BMNH); 1♂ 2♀, 5-7 miles into Kenia Forest, near Luche [?] R. 9-10.ii.1911, T.J. Anderson (BMNH). Malawi: 2♂ 3♀ [
Londt (1982)
recorded 2♂ 4♀] 'Malawi Ntchisi Forest / Reserve 1334Ac 1500m [
13°22'43"S
,
34°01'17"E
c.
1420m] / Londt & Stuckenberg / 3-4.xii.1980 Montane / forest &
woodland'
, 1♂
'NMSA-DIP-03374'
; 1♂
'NMSA-DIP-106705'
; 3♀
'NMSA-DIP-106706-8'
(NMSA). Uganda: 1♂ 1♀, Ruwenzori range [
c.
00°23'N
,
29°52'E
], Namwamba Valley, 6500 ft [
c.
1980 m], xii.1934-i.1935, B.M. E. Afr. Exp., F.W. Edwards (BMNH).
Material not studied but recorded by
Oldroyd (1970)
: DRC: 1♀, Stanleyville [= Kisangani], Mahagi-Niarembe [
c.
02°16'N
,
31°03'E
1550m], x.1935, Ch. Scops (MRAC); 1♀, Muturak [?], 3.ii.1933, Van Sacaghem (MRAC). Rwanda: 1♀, Kivu, Kisenyi [= Gisenyi
c.
01°41'S
,
29°16'E
1550m], ii.1928, Ch. Seydel (MRAC); 1♂, Kisenyi, 1800 m, 18.xi.1961, A. Bertrand (MRAC).
Newly recorded material: Kenya: 1♀ 'Kenya: Nairobi #58 / Karura State Forest /
01°15'S
,
36°53'E
1700m / 19.xi.1992 5 km NE city / J Londt & A Whittington / indigenous forest/
edges'
,
'NMSA-DIP-03364'
(NMSA). Malawi: 1♀ 'C Malawi Ntchisi District / Ntchisi Forest Reserve [
c.
13°22'43"S
,
34°01'17"E
1420m] / 5000ft [
c.
1525 m] 24 Nov - 2 Dec 2000 / Collector R J Murphy / Det Ref No AS21'
'NMSA-DIP-106709'
(NMSA). Tanzania: 1♀ 'van Someren / Mt Moroto [
c.
2°32'S
,
34°46'E
] / Kar moya [?] 4 50', 'Com Inst Ent. / Coll. No. 11740' (BMNH).
Distribution, phenology and biology.
Recorded mainly from East Africa (Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda) and eastern DRC (
Fig. 25
). Collected from October through to February (Table
1
), no records for January. Found mainly associated with indigenous forest environments.
Table 1.
Phenology of
Astochia
species. Months commencing from July.
| Species |
J |
A |
S |
O |
N |
D |
J |
F |
M |
A |
M |
J |
|
A. africana
|
- |
- |
- |
1 |
3 |
7 |
- |
8 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
A. armata
|
- |
- |
- |
8 |
17 |
9 |
4 |
4 |
1 |
5 |
- |
- |
|
A. lumarius
|
- |
- |
- |
- |
1 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
A. neavensis
|
- |
- |
- |
8 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
A. silva
|
- |
- |
- |
- |
3 |
- |
- |
1 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
|
A. similis
|
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
A. sodalis
|
3 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
A. strachani
|
- |
6 |
1 |
4 |
3 |
- |
- |
- |
1 |
8 |
- |
- |
| Totals |
3 |
16 |
1 |
21 |
28 |
17 |
4 |
14 |
3 |
13 |
0 |
0 |