Undescribed Laphria species near sericea Laphria n. sp. sericeaUndescribed    
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Arthropoda   >   Class Insecta   >   Order Diptera   >   Family Asilidae   >   Genus Laphria   

Status:

This species is essentially identical in the field to Laphria sericea and Laphria aktis, save for genitalic differences. It appears to be less common than either, though it is possibly overlooked as sericea. Males can be distinguished by differences in the shape of the genitalia under a microscope or with extreme macro photographs. Females require dissection and a microscope. This species was described by Stephen Bullington in his 1986 doctoral dissertation (Bullington 1986). Since that work is unpublished, the name he applied may not be valid according to ICZN rules. The full citation is:
Bullington, S.W. (1986) Two new genera related to Laphria Meigen (Diptera: Asilidae), with revisions of the included species in North America north of Mexico. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, 275 pp.

Description:

It differs from sericea primarily by genitalic characters. The mesal process of the male is unforked at the tip (forked on sericea). The shelf of the basistylus appears to be slightly shorter and more strongly curved downwards on the undescribed species, while it is straighter and slender on sericea. The dististylus also differs slightly in shape.

There is 1 record in the project database.

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Laphria undescribed species near sericea in Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania (6/18/2015). Photo by Ben Coulter. (MBP list)

Laphria undescribed species near sericea in Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania (6/18/2015). Photo by Ben Coulter. (MBP list)


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