Laphria

Dennis, D. Steve & Barnes, Jeffrey K., 2013, Pupal cases of four Nearctic species of Laphria (Diptera: Asilidae), Zootaxa 3681 (4), pp. 478-492 : 490-491

Key to known pupal cases of Nearctic Laphria species

1 Head with 3–5 posterior antennal processes; abdominal segment 1 usually with no dorsolateral bristlelike spines, but L. ferox and L. macquarti with 1–3 on each side; abdominal segment 2 usually with 2–5 ventral bristlelike spines on each side of, and extending under, hind leg sheath, but L. macquarti with 13–14.................................................. 2

- Head with 4 posterior antennal processes; abdominal segment 1 usually with 2–8 dorsolateral bristlelike spines on each side, but L. canis with none or only 1; abdominal segment 2 with 1–14 ventral bristlelike spines on each side of, and possibly extending under, hind leg sheath, but L. canis with only 1–3................................................... 6

2 Abdominal segment 1 with 2 postspiracular bristlelike spines; abdominal segment 2 with 0–1 ventral bristlelike spines on each side of hind leg sheath; abdominal segment 8 with single dorsal spine and small reddish brown spiracle on each side of midline and with 2 short dorsolateral bristlelike spines; head with 4 posterior antennal processes.... .. Laphria aimatis McAtee, 1919

- Abdominal segment with 3–9 postspiracular bristlelike spines; abdominal segment 2 usually with 2–5 ventral bristlelike spines on each side of hind leg sheath, but with 13–14 in L. macquarti ; abdominal segment 8 with 1–2 dorsal spines on each side of midline and small yellowish to reddish brown spiracle or in darkened area of cuticle in L. macquarti , lacking dorsolateral spines, or sometimes with 1–2 dorsolateral spines; head with 3–5 posterior antennal processes......................... 3

3 Head with 3 posterior antennal processes; abdominal segments 2–5 with 21–29 dorsal spines; abdominal segments 3–7 with 9– 11 ventral bristlelike spines on each side of median space.............................. Laphria index McAtee, 1919

- Head with 4–5 posterior antennal processes; abdominal segments 2–4 and 5–6 with 24–37 and 15–33 dorsal spines, respectively; segments 3–7 usually with 11–18 ventral bristlelike spines on each side of median space or median short spine(s)... 4

4 Median facial spines without posterior or 1–2 lateral bristles; abdominal segment 1 without dorsolateral bristlelike spines on each side and with 3–5 postspiracular bristlelike spines................................ Laphria sackeni ( Banks, 1917)

- Median facial spines with posterior or 1–2 lateral bristles; abdominal segment 1 with 1–3 dorsolateral bristlelike spines on each side (some maybe very small to vestigial) and with 6–9 postspiracular bristlelike spines.......................... 5

5 Abdominal segments 1–5 usually with 33–40 dorsal spines; pupal case large, greatest length 25.5 mm, greatest width 6.0 mm; facial area with 3 small, basally fused median spines on each side; abdominal segments 3–5 with median space dividing ventral transverse row of spines, and lacking short median bristlelike spines................... Laphria macquarti ( Banks, 1917)

- Abdominal segments 1–5 usually with 28–30 dorsal spines; pupal case smaller, greatest length 14.0–18.0 mm, greatest width 3.0–3.5; facial area with 1–2 medium size, basally fused median spines on each side; abdominal segments 3–5 with or without ventral median space and with1–12 short median bristlelike spines....................... Laphria ferox Williston, 1883

6 Some or all of abdominal segments 2–5 with dorsal spines forming a slight or obvious peak on either side of midline...... 7

- Abdominal segments 2–5 without dorsal spines forming peak on either side of midline............................. 10

7 Abdominal segment 1 with 34–52 stout dorsal spines, usually 6–8 dorsolateral bristlelike spines (sometimes none) and 6–10 postspiracular bristlelike spines; abdominal segments 2–5 with 5–15 dorsolateral bristlelike spines on each side..................................................................................... Laphria thoracica Fabricius, 1805

- Abdominal segment 1 with 26–30 stout dorsal spines, 2–4 dorsolateral bristlelike spines, and 3–7 postspiracular bristlelike spines; abdominal segments 2–5 with 1–6 dorsolateral bristlelike spines on each side............................... 8

8 Abdominal segment 1 with dorsal transverse row of subequal, short, stout spines and 5 alternately long and short postspiracular bristlelike spines; abdominal segment 2 with 8 ventral spines on each side of hind leg sheath; abdominal segments 6–7 with 10–12 stout dorsal spines and 6–8 dorsolateral bristlelike spines....................... Laphria virginica ( Banks, 1917)

- Abdominal segment 1 with dorsal transverse row of unequal length stout spines and 3–7 equally long postspiracular bristlelike spines; abdominal segment 2 with 5–8 ventral bristlelike spines on each side of hind leg sheath; abdominal segments 6–7 with 6–13 stout dorsal spines and 2–6 dorsolateral bristlelike spines.................................................. 9

9 Abdominal segment 1 with a dorsomedially pair of short bifurcate spines and 3 postspiracular bristlelike spines; abdominal segment 2 with 7–8 ventral bristlelike spines on each side of hind leg sheaths; abdominal segment 3 with 10–13 ventral bristlelike spines on each side of midline; abdominal segments 4–7 with 19–26 ventral bristlelike spines; abdominal segments 6–7 with 13 stout dorsal spines; abdominal segment 8 with 1 large dorsal spine and 1 small yellowish spiracle on each side of midline............................................................................. Laphria sericea Say, 1823

- Abdominal segment 1 with dorsomedian pair of long spines and 6–7 postspiracular bristlelike spines; abdominal segment 2 with 5–6 ventral bristlelike spines on each side of hind leg sheath; abdominal segments 3–7 with 18–22 ventral bristlelike spines; abdominal segments 6–7 with 6–8 stout dorsal spines; abdominal segment 8 with 1 large dorsal spine, 1 small, light yellowish to reddish brown spiracle, and 1–2 short dorsolateral spines on each side of midline.............. Laphria flavicollis Say, 1824

10 Proboscidal sheath of equal width for entire length; abdominal segment 1 with 23–26 dorsal spines, 0–1 dorsolateral bristlelike spines, and 3 postspiracular bristlelike spines; abdominal segments 2–5 with 19–26 dorsal spines; abdominal segments 2–6 usually with 3–4 postspiracular bristlelike spines; abdominal segment 7 with 6–10 dorsal spines, 3–5 dorsolateral bristlelike spines, and 3–4 postspiracular bristlelike spines....................................... Laphria canis Williston, 1883

- Proboscidal sheath broadened at the apex; abdominal segment 1 with 40 dorsal spines, 3–5 dorsolateral bristlelike spines, and 5 postspiracular bristlelike spines; abdominal segments 2–5 with 27–35 dorsal spines; abdominal segments 2–6 usually with 5–6 postspiracular bristlelike spines; abdominal segment 7 with 13 dorsal spines, 6–8 dorsolateral bristlelike spines, and 8 postspiracular bristlelike spines.................................................... Laphria posticata Say, 1824