Laphriinae

  


Andrenosomatini

As Andrenosomini, “The members of this tribe have a characteristic type of proboscis that is dorsoventrally depressed; it tends to be greatly swollen and stout basally, with only the

portion near the apex thinned and pointed when examined in lateral aspect. In most of these genera the structure is quite wide apically from the dorsal aspect, but it is rather conical and acuminate in Proagonistes Loew. All the members of the tribe agree in one particular; the second palpal segment is excavated and unrolled into a thin, leaflike, sometimes pilose structure, and by this character they are sharply separable from the Laphriini in which the second palpal segment is normal or cylindrical in shape. The tribe includes some very large, robust, handsome species as, for example, the "woolly-pilose" flies of Byperechia Schiner, which mimic xylocopine bees. The very large, elongate, bare, long-legged flies of the genus Proagonistes Loew are likewise remarkable. Members of this tribe occur in all the world regions but are scarce in Australia

and southern South America. They appear to be better developed in the Palaearctic and Ethiopian

regions.” (Hull, 1962: 348).

Reference:

Hull, F.M. 1962. Robber flies of the world. The genera of the family Asilidae. U. S. National Museum Bulletin 224. (Pts. 1 & 2). U. S. Govt. Printing Office. 907 pp.

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Andrenosoma

Andrenosoma Rondani, Dipterologiae italicae prodromus, vol. 1, p. 160, 1856. Type of genus: Asilus atra Linn6, 1758, by original designation.

Large flies, the cephalic and leg pile rather long and abundant, but the thoracic and abdominal dorsum with either comparatively scanty pile or rather short pile. Wings often smoky or brownish black, especially along the veins. Tergites with strong bristles, sometimes concealed by pile. Face strongly gibbous below, with stout or sometimes spikelike bristles. Third antennal

segment dilated beyond the base, with no microsegment. Only two submarginal cells are present. These flies are quickly distinguished from the Laphriini of similar appearance by the dorsoventrally depressed, shovellike apex of the proboscis. Length 16 to 25 mm. (Hull, 1962: 349).

Reference:

Hull, F.M. 1962. Robber flies of the world. The genera of the family Asilidae. U. S. National Museum Bulletin 224. (Pts. 1 & 2). U. S. Govt. Printing Office. 907 pp.

Atomosiaria [Erected by Dikow (2009)]

As Atomosini “This tribe contains small, often abundant, dominant asilids of compact form and rather bare aspect. Almost world-wide in distribution, they appear to be scarce except in the Neotropical region, from which many genera are known. They are readily distinguished

from all other Laphriinae, except 1 or 2 species of Proagonites Loew, which are very large asilids, long in the legs, by the presence of a complete arch of chitin behind the posterior coxae. The lateral callosity of the metanotum appears to be without exception bristly but this is not an exclusive character within the subfamily, since there are at least 4 genera of Laphriini and 6 of Andrenosomini which likewise have such bristles. In those members of the genus Proagonistes with chitinized metasternum, there is a medial seam. (Hull, 1962: 369).

Reference:

Dikow, T. 2009. A phylogenetic hypothesis for Asilidae based on a total evidence analysis of morphological and DNA sequence data (Insecta: Diptera: Brachycera: Asilidae). Organisms, Diversity & Evolution 9: 165–188.

Hull, F.M. 1962. Robber flies of the world. The genera of the family Asilidae. U. S. National Museum Bulletin 224. (Pts. 1 & 2). U. S. Govt. Printing Office. 907 pp.

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Bromotheres

Bromotheres, Hull, 1962: 418. Type of genus: Atomosia australis Ricardo, 1913.

Characterized by the presence of scattered pile over the whole of the face; the dorsal incision on the third antennal segment; the presence of a long pair of stout, ocellar bristles and a single, long, stout, ventral bristle on the first antennal segment. There is short, appressed, thoracic pile in both sexes; the punctulate abdomen bears stout, conspicuous bristles on the sides of the tergites. Male terminalia moderately conspicuous and not concealed. Related to Adelodus Hermann and distinguished by the closed male terminalia and the end of the discal cell, which is not aligned with the end vein of the fourth posterior cell, and the absence of the long, scalelike components found in the mystax of Adelodus. In addition, in Adelodus the hind femur is strongly swollen and it and the tibia lack the dense fringe of erect pile. Length 8 mm. (Hull, 1962: 418)

Reference:

Hull, F.M. 1962. Robber flies of the world. The genera of the family Asilidae. U. S. National Museum Bulletin 224. (Pts. 1 & 2). U. S. Govt. Printing Office. 907 pp.

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Tricella Daniels, 1975, by original designation

“Small flies immediately recognized by the addition of a wing cell, assumed to be 3rdsubmarginal cell, formed by the apical division of R2+3; and by the apical process on the hind tibia of the male. Hind femur in male rather strongly swollen from the base, with maximum width almost 1/3  length. Antennal segments 1 and 2 of equal length: segment I with numerous ventral bristles: segment 3 almost 1 1/3 the combined length of segments I and 2, and with a short spine recessed into a dorsal depression” (Daniels, 1975: 189).

“In Hull's (1962) key to genera of Atomosini, Tricella will run to Bromotheres Hull.

to which it is closely related. Tricella is separated from Bromotheres by the 3

submarginal cells, numerous ventral bristles on 1st antennal segment, and the absence

of conspicuous bristles on the sides of the tergites.” (Daniels, 1975: 189).

Reference:

Daniels, G. 1975. A new genus and species of Asilidae (Diptera). Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 14: 189-191.


Cyanonedys

Cyanonedys Hermann, Nova Acta Acad. Caes. Leop.-Carol., vol. 96, p. 128, 1912. Type of genus : Cyanonedys leucura Hermann, 1912, by original designation.

Large and robust flies without punctured surface. Stout bristles are present on the lower face and subepistomal margin and usually the upper face. The outer fourth of the third antenna1 segment has an excision and is attenuate towards the apex. Proboscis short and truncate. Male terminalia not wholly concealed. The end veins of the discal and first posterior cells are aligned. Ricardo (1912) described several of the Hermann species of Cyanonedys under the genus Clariola Kertesz. Length 12 to 22 mm (Hull, 1962: 383).

Reference:

Hull, F.M. 1962. Robber flies of the world. The genera of the family Asilidae. U. S. National Museum Bulletin 224. (Pts. 1 & 2). U. S. Govt. Printing Office. 907 pp.


Maira

In key, p. 320

Bare, shining flies, often highly metallic flies. Hind femur

distally swollen above, leaving the lower surface plane.

Face bristles usually reduced to exceptionally long, isolated

elements distributed over the low, ventral gibbosity

and sometimes with as few as 3 or 4 pairs . MAIRA Schiner


Dasytrichini

Orthogonis

Orthogonis Hermann, Ent. Mitt., vol. 3, p. 132, 1914. Type of genus: Laphria scapularis Wiedemann, 1828, by original designation.

“Rather large fiies, characterized by greatly reduced pile, but strong, numerous bristles. The coloration, including the wings, is almost always black or purplish black. In a few species the wings are pale grayish hyaline, the abdomen sometimes steel blue; lateral tergal spots of white pollen may be present as well as white or yellow pollen on the thorax. These flies present a strong, general similarity in appearance to Maira Schiner but are unrelated, belonging instead to the Andrenosomini. The proboscis is cylindroid or subquadrate, slightly depressed dorsoventrally at the apex, the femora and tibiae much reduced in pile in contrast to Maira and they are especially characterized by the alignment of the end vein of the discal cell with the end vein of the fourth posterior cell, usually in an exact line, sometimes offset by less than half the length of

the end vein of the discal cell. Length 18 to 25 mm. Head, lateral aspect: The face is short on the upper half, gradually becoming protuberant, rounded and convex on the lower portion. The eye is of moderate length, anteroventrally recessive, sometimes shortened and always more narrow on the lower half; it may be sometimes reduced in length and strongly flattened anteriorly. Occiput obliterated on the upper half, its prominence below is due to the recession of the eye. Pile of the occiput scanty and fine and for the most part placed medial to the bristle row. Bristles in the type of genus extend almost to the bottom of the occiput with an additional clump behind the proboscis, or restricted to 6 stout pairs on the upper fourth of theocciput. Proboscis  moderately long, extending well beyond the face and distinctly though only moderately compressed dorsoventrally towards the apex. Also it is only gently swollen or tapered towards the base, both in dorsal and lateral aspect; the apex is blunt with numerous, stiff hairs apically and immediately below, the only other pile being long, stiff hairs ventrally on the basal third. There is a moderately developed medial ridge present at the base which tapers down to end in the middle or on the outer third; there is a medial groove ventrally below. Palpus rather small, clearly of two segments, both cylindrical, the second with lateral, subapical pore and with apical lateral, dorsal and ventral bristles. The first segment is excavated and fused on the dorsal surface, except on the outer fifth, which is chitinized. (Hull, 1962: 330).

Reference:

Hull, F.M. 1962. Robber flies of the world. The genera of the family Asilidae. U. S. National Museum Bulletin 224. (Pts. 1 & 2). U. S. Govt. Printing Office. 907 pp.

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Laphriini

“The antennse have only three segments at the apex, of which there is usually a minute spine, often obscure. The metasternum is well separated from the intermediate coxa and the metanotum is bare. The abdomen on the male has only six segments visible in the Australian species examined in many cases, but the seventh may be quite visible or even exserted to the normal amount. The two upper branches of the radial vein meet before the wing-margin, likewise also the third and fourth median veins and the anal and cubital veins. The first median vein in some cases meets the fifth radial, but this may vary within a species. The interradial cross-vein is usually absent, but two males before me have it present. The ovipositor is not always easily seen, but on two forms dissected-one a tree-frequenting species-has a compressed conical form, whilst the ground-frequenting species has a depressed form with a broad apical sternite, containing a pair of processes which can usually be detected in specimens when present. The male terminalia shows similar variations, for the ninth tergite may be a simple plate or divided. Also the hypopygium may be inverted.” (Hardy 1934: 516)

Reference:

Hardy, G.H. 1934. The Asilidae of Australia. Part 1. The Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Ser. 10, Vol. 13: 498-525.

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Laphria

Lapria Meigen, Nouvelle classification . . ., p. 25, 40, 1800, lapsus.

Laphria Meigen, Mag. Insectenkunde, vol. 2, p. 270, 1803. Emendation. Type of genus: Asilus gibbosus Linne, 1755. Designated by Latreille, 1810, the first of six included species.

“Usually large and robust flies, never very slender; characterized by the prominent and gibbous face. The abundant pile is often matted and appressed, especially on the abdomen. The proboscis is elongate, very strongly compressed laterally, with bluntly rounded apex and the palpus is cylindrical with only the basal segment open. Except for a subapical pit or groove, the third antenna1 segment is unmodified. Tlhe lower end vein of the discal cell is long and nearly parallel

with the upper margin of the cell. Metanotal callosity bare in the type of genus and in European species and in many North American species. Length in the type of genus 27 mm.; more often 15 to 20 mm. in length and in some species as little as 10 mm.” (Hull 1962: 326) .

Reference:

Hull, F.M. 1962. Robber flies of the world. The genera of the family Asilidae. U. S. National Museum Bulletin 224. (Pts. 1 & 2). U. S. Govt. Printing Office. 907 pp.

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Choerades Walker, Insecta Saundersiana, vol. 1, pt. 2, p. 109,

1851. Type of genus : Laphria vulcanus Wiedemann, 1828,

as Choerades aurigena Walker, 1851, by monotypy.

Epholkiolaphria Hermann, Ent. Mitt. vol. 3, p. 89, 1914. Type

of genus: Laphria egregia Wulp, 1898, by original

designation.

Large flies which represent a rather extensive group

of the large tribe Laphriini. Characteristic of the

Oriental and South Pacific regions, they are comparatively

ill-defined and while of generally sliort

pilose and bare aspect, they are distinguished primarily

on the character of the male terminalia. Like all the

members of the tribe Laphriini the terminalia are permanently

rotate so that the epandrium is placed ventrally

and is bowllike and undivided and not formed

into forceps. I t is transverse at the apex with the

terminal proctiger beyond and in this respect does not

differ from other members of the Laphriini. What I

interpret as the gonopod, which consists of the large,

lateral and ventral portion of the terminalia and

which Hermann calls the forceps of the hypopygium,

has in Choerades a posterodorsal process more or less

narrow and knifelike and sometimes clearly composed

of fused or semifused bristles. This posterodorsal appendage

and a somewhat more widely opened dorsal

aspect exposing the interior cavity of the terminalia

constitute, as I understand it, the only character upon

which one may differentiate this group with any

clarity. Length 15 to 30 mm. (Hull 1962: 325)

Reference:

Hull, F.M. 1962. Robber flies of the world. The genera of the family Asilidae. U. S. National Museum Bulletin 224. (Pts. 1 & 2). U. S. Govt. Printing Office. 907 pp.