Igor Ya. GRICHANOV
Grichanov, I.Ya. Two new species of Argyra Macquart (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) from
Tropical Africa
A. robinsoni sp. n. from Kenya and A. kireichuki sp. n. from Ethiopia are described. A
key to three Afrotropical species of Argyra is given.
I.Ya. Grichanov, All-Russian Institute of Plant Protection, Podbelskogo 3, St.Petersburg-
Pushkin, 189620, Russia.
Key words: Diptera, Dolichopodidae, Argyra, Tropical Africa.
Introduction
The genus Argyra Macquart numbers about 100 mostly Holarctic species. Two doubtful
species were known from Afrotropical Region. Record of Palearctic A. discedens
Becker from Kenya (Dyte and Smith, 1980), probably, belongs to undescribed species
and should be excluded from the fauna of the Region. I have seen two females of
apparently two different undescribed species from Kenya and Congo (Kinshasa) in the
collection of the Royal Institute for Natural Sciences (Brussels). The second species, A.
amicta was described by Wiedemann (see 1830) in terms of only colour features and
could not be distinguished from several Palearctic species having silvery-white face and
dorsum, yellow legs and base of abdomen. However, silvery pruinosity of mesonotum
and abdomen and larger body distinctly differ this species from the two new ones
described here.
Holotypes and paratypes of the new species are deposited in the Natural History
Museums in London (A. robinsoni) and Budapest (A. kireichuki).
List of known Afrotropical species
Argyra Macquart, 1834
ARGYRA Macquart, 1834:456. Type-species: Musca diaphana Fabricius, 1775, by
designation of Rondani (1856:141).
amicta Wiedemann, 1824:39 (Dolichopus); 1830:228 (Porphyrops); Becker, 1923:16.
[Type in Zoological Museum, Universitets Copenhagen, not seen]. þGuineaþ.
kireichuki sp. n. Ethiopia.
robinsoni sp. n. Kenya.
Descriptions.
Argyra (Argyra) robinsoni sp. n.
(Figs. 1, 3)
Holotype. Male, Kenya: Aberdare Range, X.1934, B.M.E. Afr. Exp. B.M. 1935-203 /
Mt. Kinangop, 8000 ft., F.W. Edwards.
Paratypes. 2 females, same labels, but height 9000 ft. and one of the females with
collection date 25.X.1934.
Description. Male. Frons and face densely silvery-white pollinose. Face narrow, three
times as high as wide at clypeus. Occiput concave, bronze-black, grey pollinose. One
pair of long ocellar, short but strong vertical, and strong postvertical setae. Postocular
bristles black in upper part and white in lateral and lower parts of head. Eyes with short
white hairs. Antennae inserted above middle of head, black-brown, slightly longer than
height of head; scape with several dorsal setulae; pedicel simple, with dorsal and ventral
setulae; 1st flagellomere bare, blade-like, elongate, thrice as long as high at base; arista
subapical with microscopic hairs. Length ratio of scape to pedicel to first flagellomere to
arista, 10 : 5 : 35 : 31. Palpi and proboscis short, brown, with dark hairs.
Mesonotum dark-brown with metallic reflection; pleura densely greyish-white pollinose.
Propleura with at least one white hair. 1 h with 1 or 2 hairs, 1 ph, 2 ntpl, 2 ia, 2 sa, 1 pa
present. Six pairs of dorsocentral setae, acrostichals in one or two irregular rows.
Scutellum with two long and two short fine setae, dorsally bare.
Legs and coxae yellow, middle coxa with brown spot at base, apical segments of anterior
four tarsi darkened, posterior tarsus darker. Fore coxa anteriorly with yellow hairs at
base and five or six dark setae of various length in apical half. Middle coxa anteriorly
and apically with dark hairs and two long black external setae. Hind coxae with vertical
row of 3 or 4 fine black external setae decreasing in length ventrad. Hind trochanter with
one fine brown dorsal seta. Fore femora with elongate posterior hairs, not longer than
femur's diameter. Fore tibia with two inconspicuous dorsal setae. Length ratio of fore
coxa to femora to tibia to tarsus (segments from first to fifth), 40 : 66 : 67 : 45 : 15 : 11 :
8 : 9. Middle femora with one or two fine subapical anterior setae. Middle tibia with 3
anterodorsal, 3 posterodorsal and 3 to 5 ventral setae. Length ratio of middle coxa to
femora to tibia to tarsus (segments from first to fifth), 35 : 78 : 89 : 51 : 21 : 15 : 10 : 8.
Hind tibia with 3 anterodorsal, 4 posterodorsal, 3 or 4 ventral setae. Length ratio of hind
coxa to femora to tibia to tarsus (segments from first to fifth), 22 : 95 : 124 : 34 : 34 : 20 :
13 : 8.
Wing long and narrow, almost hyaline; veins yellowish-brown. R1 relatively short,
ending at basal 3/7 of wing. Ratio of parts of costa from humeral crossvein to M1+2, 77 :
105 : 33 : 15. R4+5 and M1+2 almost parallel at apex. M1+2 slightly undulate before
middle of apical part. Crossvein m-cu oblique; ratio of m-cu to apical part of CuA1, 24 :
55. Lower calypter yellow, with brown margin and light cilia. Halter yellow.
Abdomen mostly dark-brown with metallic reflection; yellow ventrally and laterally at
base, with light hairs and dark setae. 8th segment with 2 long fine posterior setae.
Hypopygium dark-brown, with light-brown appendages and dark hairs. Epandrium
rounded. Two strong epandrial setae just before the middle of ventral side of ventral
epandrial lobe. Two pairs of broad, massive epandrial (?) lobes. Ventral lobe parallel to
dorsal, with acute apex, small apicodorsal setula and two midlateral setae. Dorsal lobe
distinctly shorter than ventral, with narrowed, though rounded apex, two apicodorsal
setulae and one dorsal seta at apical third. Surstylus half as long as dorsal epandrial lobe,
narrow and curved ventrad in apical half, with rounded apex, three lateral setae in basal
half and one strong ventral subapical seta. Cercus short, narrowed apicad, with strong
dark, though shining light setae.
Female. Similar to male except lacking male secondary sexual characters. Face wide,
slightly narrowed below antennae, approximately twice as high as wide. Vertical seta
longer than in male. Antenna black; 1st flagellomere as long as high, with long arista.
Palpus black, grey pollinose. Middle coxa brownish in basal half; hind coxa dark at
base. Tergum 9+10 with 4 pairs of short thick acanthophorites; cercus short, with
rounded apex.
Length: male body without antennae 3.3 mm, female body 4.0 mm, antenna 0.9 mm, male
wing-length 3.8 mm, female wing-length 4.5 mm, male wing-width 1.3 mm, female
wing-width 1.7 mm.
Distribution. Kenya.
Etymology. The species is named for American dipterologist and botanist, Dr. Harold
Robinson.
Diagnosis. This new species together with the next one cannot be associated with the old
Afrotropical species, A. amicta (Wiedemann) from "Guinea". Becker (1923) included
the latter species in the Palearctic group comprising A. setulipes Becker, A. argentina
(Meigen), A. discedens Becker, and A. perplexa Becker and having silvery-white
mesonotum, although the author noted that the description by Wiedemann did not contain
reliable diagnostic characters. However, A. robinsoni is keyed to Palearctic A. spoliata
Kowarz and A. grata Loew (Parent, 1938; Negrobov and Stackelberg, 1969), strongly
differing from these and other Palearctic species in length of antenna as a whole, 1st
flagellomere and arista, setosed
pedicel and many other features.
Argyra (Argyra) kireichuki sp. n.
(Figs. 2, 4)
Holotype. Male, Etiopia: Akaki river, Addis Abeba / 16.X.1980, leg. Demeter [HNHM].
Description. Male. Frons and face densely silvery-white pollinose. Face narrow, nearly
4 times as high as wide under antennae and nearly 5 times as high as wide at clypeus.
Occiput concave, bronze-green, grey pollinose. One pair of strong ocellar, vertical, and
postvertical setae. Postocular bristles black in upper part and white in lateral and lower
parts of head. Eyes with short white hairs. Antennae inserted above middle of head,
brown-black, slightly longer than height of head; scape with several dorsal setulae;
pedicel simple, with dorsal and ventral setulae; 1st flagellomere blade-like, elongate,
twice longer than high at base, with short hairs at apex; arista positioned at apical third of
dorsal side, with microscopic hairs. Length ratio of scape to pedicel to first flagellomere
to arista, 10 : 6 : 18 : 36. Palpi and proboscis short, brown, with dark hairs.
Mesonotum metallic green, weakly brownish pollinose; pleura including humeri densely
white pollinose. Propleura with one white seta and at least one white hair. Six pairs of
dorsocentral setae, short acrostichals in one or two irregular rows. Scutellum with two
long and two short fine setae, dorsally bare.
Legs and coxae yellow, middle coxa with brownish external spot, apical segments of
anterior four tarsi darkened; hind femur apicodorsally, hind tibia at apex and posterior
tarsus brown. Fore coxa anteriorly with yellow hairs at base and black setae of various
length in apical half. Middle coxa anteriorly and apically with black hairs and two long
black external setae. Hind coxae with vertical row of one strong and two short fine black
external setae. Hind trochanter with one dorsal setula. Fore femora with row of long
posteroventral cilia, the longest ones situated in apical half, exceeding diameter of femur
Fore tibia with two inconspicuous dorsal setae. Fore tibia, 1st and 2nd joints of fore tarsus
with double ventral row of elongate setulae as long as diameter of respective podomeres.
Length ratio of fore coxa to femora to tibia to tarsus (segments from first to fifth), 33 : 64
: 61 : 32 : 15 : 9 : 10 : 10. Middle femora with one fine subapical anterior seta and
ventral row of hairs nearly as long as diameter of femur. Middle tibia with 4
anterodorsal, 3 short posterodorsal and several inconspicuous ventral setae. Length ratio
of middle coxa to femora to tibia to tarsus (segments from first to fifth), 25 : 71 : 85 : 42 :
19 : 12 : 8 : 8. Hind femora with one fine subapical anteroventral seta Hind tibia with 5
to 8 short dorsal and several inconspicuous ventral setae. Length ratio of hind coxa to
femora to tibia to tarsus (segments from first to fifth), 25 : 88 : 104 : 27 : 23 : 15 : 10 : 8.
Wing long and narrow, greyish; veins yellowish-brown. R1 relatively short, ending at
basal 3/8 of wing. Ratio of parts of costa from humeral crossvein to M1+2, 60 : 105 : 26
: 12. R4+5 and M1+2 almost parallel at apex, both slightly convex in apical part.
Crossvein m-cu oblique; ratio of m-cu to apical part of CuA1, 19 : 41. Lower calypter
yellow, with brown margin and light cilia. Halter yellow.
Abdomen mostly dark-brown with metallic reflection, dark hairs and setae; 1st segment
yellow, 2nd to 4th with yellow lateral spots becoming smaller towards 4th tergite. Venter
mostly yellow. 8th tergite with 2 short posterior macrochaetae. Hypopygium dark-brown,
with light-brown appendages, dark hairs. Epandrium rounded. Two strong epandrial
setae at apicoventral angle of epandrium. Two pairs of broad, massive epandrial (?)
lobes with rounded apices. Ventral lobe parallel to dorsal, with several short setulae.
Dorsal lobe nearly as long as ventral, with three apicodorsal setae. Surstylus 4/5 as long
as dorsal epandrial lobe, narrow, pointed, curved ventrad, with strong ventral seta at
apical fourth. Cercus short, narrowed apicad, short setae.
Female unknown.
Length: male body without antennae 3.0 mm, antenna 0.95 mm, wing-length 3.2 mm,
wing-width 1.0 mm.
Distribution. Ethiopia.
Etymology. The species is named for Russian entomologist, Dr. A. Kireichuk.
Diagnosis. A. kireichuki is close to Palearctic A. grata Loew, differing in length ratio of
antennomeres, setosed pedicel etc. It differs from A. robinsoni in shorter 1st
flagellomere, longer arista, long cilia on fore legs, and other characters.
Key to Afrotropical species of Argyra Macquart (males)
1. Mesonotum and abdomen with silvery-white pollination (front view); size greater than
4 mm ................. A. amicta Wiedemann
-- Mesonotum and abdomen metallic, at most weakly brownish pollinose; less than 3.5
mm ................. 2
2. 1st flagellomere 3 times longer than high; arista shorter than 1st flagellomere; fore
tibia and tarsus without long ventral setulae ....................... A. robinsoni sp.n.
-- 1st flagellomere twice longer than high; arista twice longer than 1st flagellomere; fore
tibia and 1st--2nd segments of fore tarsus with elongate ventral setulae, as long as
diameter of corresponding podomeres ....................... A. kireichuki sp.n.
Acknowledgements
I express sincere gratitude to Dr. Laszlo Papp and Dr. Brian Pitkin for their kindness in
giving me the opportunity to study the collections of the Hungarian Natural History
Museum (Budapest) and the Natural History Museum (London).
References
Becker Th. 1923. Dipterologische Studien: Dolichopodidae. D. Aethiopische Region. Entomol.
Mitteilungen, 12, 1: 1--50.
Dyte C.E. & Smith K.G. 1980. Family Dolichopodidae. In R.W. Crosskey (ed.).
Catalogue of the Diptera of the Afrotropical Region. Brit. Mus. (Nat. Hist.), London: 443-
-463.
Negrobov O.P. & Stackelberg A.A. 1969. Family Dolichopodidae. In G.Ya. Bei-Bienko
(ed.). Keys to the Insects of the European Part of the USSR. Leningrad, Nauka, 5, 1: 670-
-751.
Parent O. 1938. Dipteres Dolichopodidae. Faune de France, 35. Paris: 1--720.
Wiedemann C.R.W. 1830. Aussereurop¤ische zweiflìgelige Insekten. Hamm., 2: 1--644.
[Remarks under figures]
Fig. 1. Argyra robinsoni sp.n. Apex of hypopygium, lateral view.
Fig. 2. Argyra kireichuki sp.n. Hypopygium, lateral view.
Figs 3--4. Argyra spp. Antenna, lateral view.
Fig. 3. Argyra robinsoni sp.n.
Fig. 4. Argyra kireichuki sp.n.
