Astochia strachani Oldroyd, 1970

Londt, Jason G. H., 2019, A revision of Afrotropical Astochia Becker, 1913 with descriptions of three new species (Diptera, Asilidae, Asilini), African Invertebrates 60 (2), pp. 215-237 : 229-232

publication ID	https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/AfrInvertebr.60.38432
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:CA0D0E03-36BF-45F9-93BB-844C1CF1BD64
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/1346CD6C-90F6-558E-8B13-CBC8A2BEEAD0
treatment provided by	African Invertebrates by Pensoft
scientific name	Astochia strachani Oldroyd, 1970
status

Treatment

Astochia strachani Oldroyd, 1970 Figs 4 View Figures 1–4 , 24 View Figure 24 , 26 View Figure 26

Astochia strachani Oldroyd, 1970: 312; Londt 1982: 249 (figs 17 (wing) 18-20 (♂ terminalia)).

Diagnosis.

Mystax whitish. Katatergal setae black and whitish. Anatergite with white setae. Scutellum disc with minute yellow-white setae. Mesonotal macrosetae black. Wings: Discal cell lacking microtrichia. Legs: Femora black and yellow-brown. Metathoracic femora with ventral macrosetae. ♀ with abdominal segments 1-5 pruinose. ♂ terminalia as in Fig. 4 View Figures 1–4 . The species was fully redescribed by Londt (1982).

Material.

Previously recorded and personally studied material: Kenya: 2♂ 2♀ 'Kenya Eastern / Katulani Kitui dist. [c. 01°22'S, 38°10'E 1150m] / malaise trap 26.x.1990 / J.A.M. Jansen’, 'NMSA-DIP 106725-8' (NMSA). Nigeria: 4♂ 2♀, holotype & paratype, Lagos [c. 06°31'N, 03°23'E 10m], G. Strachan (BMNH).

Material not studied but recorded by Oldroyd (1970): DRC: 1♂ 3♀, Costermansville [= Bukavu c. 02°31'S, 28°51'E 1685m], Kasongo [?], viii–ix.1959, J. Claessens (MRAC); 2♂ 1♀, Costermansville, Kapiti [?], iv.1912, Miss. Agric. (MRAC); 1♂, Lomani, Luputa [c. 07°10'S, 23°43'E 875m], ix.1935, Dr Bomans (MRAC); 1♂, Katanga, Elizabethville [= Lubumbashi c. 11°41'S, 27°30'E 1245m], route Sakania, 21.viii.1952, L. Remy (MRAC). Sierra Leone: 1♂, Nzala [c. 08°06'N, 12°03'W 67m], 23.iii.1962, M. Rushton (MRAC).

Newly recorded material: Ivory Coast: 1♂ ‘Cöte D’Ivoire: 28 km / W Bouaflé. Maraoué / Nat Park 19.iv.1989 / 06°59'N, 05°54'W [c. 205m] / JGH Londt. Woodland / and forest margins’, ‘NMSA-DIP-03394’ (NMSA). Kenya: 1♀ 'Kenya, Rift Valley / Prov., Olloitokitok [Oloitokitok] / 1853m. 2.94456S, 37.50714E [c. 02°57'S, 37°30'E]', 'Malaise trap, edge of / indigenous forest / 11-25 Nov 2011 / R. Copeland’ (ICIPE). Malawi: 1♀ 'A>A1 / Mt. Mlanje [Mulanje Massif c. 15°55'S, 35°39'E], / Nyasaland, / 6.xi.1913. / S.A. Neave’, 'Pres. by / Imp. Bur. Ent. / 1921 –9,’ ' Philodicus / sp indet’, 'BMNH (E) 664089' - Prey pinned alongside 'A1<A / Mt. Mlanje, / Nyasaland, / 6.xi.1913. / S.A. Neave’, 'Pres. by / Imp. Bur. Ent. / 1921 –9,’, 'Pres. by / Imp. Bur. Ent. / 1921 –9,’, 'Anthomy / idea [ Diptera ] / det. 1936 / J. Smart.' (BMNH); 1♀ 'Malawi Mulanje Mnt. / Likabula river valley [c. 15°59'S, 35°40'E 775m] / 28-30.xi.1980 1535Dc / 1000m Stuckenberg & / Londt Riverine / Brachystegia woodland’, ‘NMSA-DIP-03362’ [previously recorded as africana] (NMSA). Uganda: 3♂ 1♀ Ankole, Kichwamba [c. 0°13'14"S, 30°05'54"E 1155m], 23-29.iv.1968, P.J. Spangler (USNMENT01518175-8).

Distribution, phenology and biology.

Widely distributed from East Africa (Kenya, Malawi, Uganda) through Central Africa (DRC) to West Africa (Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Sierra Leone) ( Fig. 26 View Figure 26 ), straddling the equator. Collected in March and April as well as August through to November (Table 1 View Table ). Found mainly associated with indigenous forest and woodland environments. Fig. 24 View Figure 24 shows the habitat in which the species was collected at Oloitokitok in Kenya. A single prey item has been preserved ( Diptera : Anthomyiidae ).

Key to species of Astochia