Diogmites neoternatus (Bromley)

Dennis, D. Steve, Barnes, Jeffrey K. & Knutson, Lloyd, 2008, Pupal cases of Nearctic robber flies (Diptera: Asilidae), Zootaxa 1868 (1), pp. 1-98 : 45-46

Diogmites neoternatus (Bromley)

( Fig. 27 )

The following description is based on four pupal cases. One male case with pinned adult from the United States National Museum is labeled "coll. Bryant, Fla.; pupa obtained from muck soil heavily infested with larvae of Dyscinetus morator (F.); emerged June 28, 1950; W.H. Thames, Jr." and one damaged case with a pinned female is labeled "Lakin, Kans.; 27 July 91." A male and female case from the Illinois Natural History Survey, with pinned adults, are labeled "Springfield, Ill.; Aug. 8, '15.”

Description: Greatest length, including anterior antennal processes, ♂ 20.4–21.6 mm, ♀ 22.3 mm; greatest width of thorax ♂ 5.8–6.8 mm, ♀ 7.1 mm; greatest width of abdomen ♂ 4.8–5.3 mm, ♀ 5.1 mm, tapering to ♂ 2.2–2.6 mm, ♀ 2.7 mm at greatest width of abdominal segment 8. Integument subshining dark golden brown; spines and other processes glistening reddish brown, darker apically except for spurs that are uniformly colored; several segments mottled yellowish brown.

Head with pair of dorsally flattened, ventrally wedge­shaped, apically rounded to blunt anterior antennal processes not joined at base and group of 3 subequal, apically rounded to blunt, basally fused posterior antennal processes located ventrolaterally on each side; median process with outer basal pore. Labral sheath smooth except for long, length­wise grooves posteriorly and 4 short grooves along midline; distinct posterior keel or callosity absent. Proboscial sheath smooth, with short median groove posteriorly and small, oval callosity with small tubercle directly posterior to groove. Maxillary sheath smooth, extending two­thirds length of proboscial sheath, minute inner tubercle at juncture of labral and proboscial sheaths.

Anterior coxal sheath smooth, with anterior, median, longitudinal split. Prothoracic spiracle elongate­oval, situated midlaterally at anterior margin of thorax on small callosity with 2 anterior ridges. Anterior mesothoracic spines above base of mid leg sheath paired, long, narrow, medially bent, posteriorly curved, apically pointed; basal area of cuticle surrounding spines highly rugose. Posterior mesothoracic callosity small, smooth to slightly rugulose, with small, apically rounded and heavily sclerotized posterior mesothoracic spine. Wing sheath mostly smooth, except for longitudinal grooves; median and basal tubercles absent. Thoracic area above wing sheath smooth to rugulose. Apex of hind leg sheath reaching between middle and posterior margin of abdominal segment 3.

Abdominal spiracles elongate­oval, reddish brown, situated along midline laterally on small callosities.

Abdominal segment 1 with dorsal transverse row of 19 long, subequal, apically recurved spurs; 5–7 spurs on each side of midline spatulate, becoming wider apically, sometimes bifurcate, sometimes with short basal spines; dorsolateral bristle­like spines absent; 8–9 lateral bristle­like spines behind each spiracle; venter obscured by wing and leg sheaths.

Segments 2–7 with dorsal transverse row of 8 long, narrow, recurved spurs alternating with 7 shorter, wide, straight, sometimes apically bifurcate or trifurcate spines; spines becoming narrow, long, and more similar to long spurs posteriorly; 5–8 dorsolateral bristle­like spines on each side and 12–16 lateral bristle­like spines behind each spiracle; some bristle­like spines bifurcate or of irregular length.

Segment 2 with 5–8 ventral bristle­like spines on each side of hind leg sheaths; segments 3–7 with complete transverse row of 37–46 ventral bristle­like spines reclining almost flat against integument.

Segment 8 with 3–5 dorsal spurs on each side of midline and 8–11 lateral bristle­like spines on each side; spiracle and ventral spines absent.

Segment 9 with small, dorsomedial callosity on each side of midline, pair of long dorsal posterolateral processes that curve toward each other, and pair of short ventral posterolateral processes fused basally to and curved toward dorsal posterolateral processes.

Figures

FIGURE 27. Diogmites neoternatus (Bromley), lateral view, with enlarged anterodorsal view of row of spurs on abdominal segment 1 and posterodorsal view of row of alternating spurs and spines on abdominal segment 4.