Laphria posticata Say

Dennis, D. Steve & Barnes, Jeffrey K., 2013, Pupal cases of four Nearctic species of Laphria (Diptera: Asilidae), Zootaxa 3681 (4), pp. 478-492 : 487-489

Laphria posticata Say

( Figs. 10–11 )

Laphria posticata Say, 1824: 374 .

The following description is based on one pupal case with an associated pinned adult male labelled “emg. April 21, 1919, E.F.C. Va, Raised by C.T.G., T.E.S. Collector, USNMENT00876526”.

Description. Pupal case straight to abdominal segment 3, then gently curving ventrally ( Fig. 10 ). Greatest length, including anterior antennal processes 16.5 mm; greatest width of thorax 5.0 mm; greatest width of abdomen 5.0 mm, tapering to 1.5 mm at greatest width of abdominal segment 8. Integument subshining golden brown, becoming darker on head anteriorly and on median area between posterior antennal processes, dorsally on thorax, and at margins and apices of wing sheaths. Spines and other processes glistening reddish brown; spines mostly uniformly colored: processes of head and abdominal segment 9 darker apically.

Head with pair of basally rugose, recurved, dorsally rounded, ventrally-wedge shaped anterior antennal processes not joined at base with group of 4 basally rugose posterior antennal processes curving and becoming shorter posteriorly; inner or first posterior process dorsally rounded, ventrally concave, longer than and separated from outer processes by area of U-shaped cuticle; outer 3 posterior processes basally fused, approximate, dorsally rounded, ventrally wedge-shaped; sensory pore on outermost process not visible. Facial area with 2 pairs of short, stout, dark, reclinate spines posterior to antennal processes; median facial spines bifurcate, each bearing a long, thin bristlelike spine posteriorly; lateral facial spines unbranched, laterally compressed; with apically rounded tubercle posterior to lateral facial spine. Labral sheath wide anteriorly, narrow posteriorly, smooth, with median furrow, apically divided on each side, with slightly rounded tip. Palpal sheaths not visible. Proboscidal sheath smooth, with median furrow, anteriorly narrow to ends of maxillary sheath, then broadening, with elongate rounded point extending over posterior coxal sheath. Maxillary sheath smooth, extending two thirds length of proboscidal sheath ( Fig. 11 ).

Anterior coxal sheath smooth, with anteromedian longitudinal split. Posterior coxal sheath smooth, folded inward. Prothoracic spiracle dark reddish brown, elongate oval, elevated on bulbous callosity, situated midlaterally at anterior margin of thorax. Anterior mesothoracic spines present on each side of thorax above bases of, and apically, slightly extending over, mid leg sheaths, consisting of anterior pair of basally broad and fused, dorsoventrally flattened to rounded, ventrally wedge-shaped, straight to posteriorly curved spines with sclerotized edges, and single basally broad, dorsally rounded, ventrally wedge-shaped, posteriorly curved, posterior spine, widely separated from anterior pair; inner or first anterior spine longer than other spines that are about equal in length. Posterior mesothoracic callosity at base of wing sheath slightly bulbous, with short, broadly rounded posterior mesothoracic spine consisting of sclerotized posterior ridge. Wing sheath smooth, with elongate grooves. Thoracic area above wing sheath smooth. Apex of hind leg sheath (leg sheath 3) reaching to posterior margin of abdominal segment 2 and middle of segment 3. Leg sheaths apically bilobed with median projection.

Abdominal segments 1–7 each with dorsomedian transverse row of 1–2 short median spines and on each side irregular number of long and short spines, becoming larger and longer posteriorly and shorter laterally. Dorsolateral bristlelike spines slightly larger and longer than ventral bristlelike spines, both becoming longer posteriorly, and lateral or postspriracular bristlelike spines sometimes alternating long and short or with 1–3 short spines between long spines, and most ventral spine longest.

Spiracles of abdominal segments 1–7 situated along midline laterally, light to dark reddish brown, medium size, spherical to elongate oval, slightly raised in light reddish brown sclerotized area of cuticle.

Abdominal segment 1 with dorsal transverse row of 40 spines consisting of a very short median spine, flanked on each side by1 short spine, 3 long spines between which are 3–4 variable length, but short, spines, 6–8 long and short to very short spines (some spines alternating long and short), and 2–4 outer spines that are farther apart from the other spines and each other, and on one side outer spines very short; with 3–5 long and short or very short dorsolateral bristlelike spines, one with a basal spine; with 5 alternating long and short postspiracular bristlelike spines; with venter obscured by wing and leg sheaths.

Abdominal segment 2 with dorsal transverse row of 34 spines consisting of 2 short, equal median length spines, flanked on each side by 2 long spines between which are 3 short spines, then 1 short spine and 1 long spine, and 9 outer, generally shorter, spines; with 3–4 long and short dorsolateral bristlelike spines; with 5–6 alternating long and short postspiracular bristlelike spines; with 11–12 long, mostly equal ventral bristlelike spines on each side of, and extending under wing and leg sheaths, but not completely across venter.

Abdominal segment 3 with dorsal transverse row of 35 spines consisting of very short median spine, flanked on each side by 1 short spine, 3 long spines between which are 1–2 short spines, and 9–10 outer, generally short, spines; with 3–4 long and short dorsolateral bristlelike spines; with 6 variable length postspiracular bristlelike spines; with ventral transverse row of 12–13 long, mostly equal length bristlelike spines on each side separated by median space.

Abdominal segment 4 with dorsal transverse row of 34 spines consisting of very short median spine, flanked on each side by single short spines, 6 long spines, and 9–10 short, outer subequal spines; with 3–4 long and short dorsolateral bristlelike spines; with 5–6 long and short postspiracular bristlelike spines; with ventral transverse row of 13–14 mostly long bristlelike spines on each side of 2 short, median bristlelike spines, but outer spine short to very short, on one side a single long spine apically bifurcate.

Abdominal segment 5 with dorsal transverse row of 27 spines consisting of 2 short median spines, flanked on each side by 3–5 long spines and 8–9 subequal short outer spines; with 4 unequal dorsolateral bristlelike spines; with 4–5 variable length postspiracular bristlelike spines; with ventral transverse row consisting of 2 short, median bristlelike spines and 13 mostly long bristlelike spines on each side of midline, but a single outer spine short.

Abdominal segment 6 with dorsal transverse row of 19 spines consisting of median very short spine, flanked on each side by 1 short spine, 2 long spines between which are 1–2 short spines, and then 4–5 variable length short spines becoming more bristlelike laterally; with 7–8 mostly long dorsolateral bristlelike spines, but 1 short or very short spine on each side; with 5 mostly long postspiracular bristlelike spines, but 1–2 short or very short spines on each side; with ventral transverse row consisting of pair of very short median spines, and on each side 2 short spines becoming longer laterally, and 11–12 mostly long bristlelike spines, on one side 2 short outer spines.

Abdominal segment 7 with dorsal transverse row of 13 spines consisting of median space, flanked on each side by 3 long spines between which are 1–2 short spines; with 6–8 long and short dorsolateral bristlelike spines, one basally bifurcate; with 8 long and short postspiracular bristlelike spines; with ventral row consisting of median very short spine and flanked on each side by 1 short and 11 mostly long bristlelike spines.

Segment 8 with 1–2 equal dorsal spines on each side of midline, basally fused on one side; dorsolateral, lateral and ventral spines and callosities absent. Spiracle small, elongate oval, flush in area of wrinkled, slightly darkened cuticle.

Segment 9 with large, equal length processes; with dorsolateral processes dorsally rounded, ridged, ventrally wedge-shaped, incurved; with ventrolateral processes surrounded by 4–5 heavily sclerotized ridges; with large, ventally wedge-shaped, incurved, rugose ventral tubercles on each side of midline.

Figures

FIGURES 10 – 11. Laphria posticata Say, 10. Male pupal case, lateral view, 11. Pupal case, ventral view.