Laphriinae, Macquart, 1838

Lavigne, Robert J. & Dennis, Steve, 2019, Robber flies (Insecta: Diptera: Asilidae) of Wyoming, USA with keys to genera and species, Zootaxa 4662 (1), pp. 1-126 : 86-87

Subfamily Laphriinae

Genera found in Wyoming: Andrenosoma , Atomosia , Choerades , Lampria , Laphria , Laphystia , and Pogonosoma .

Key to Genera [adapted from Wood (1981)]

1 Wings with 3 submarginal cells; wing veins R 2+3 and R 4 connected by a short crossvein..................... Pogonosoma

- Wings with 2 submarginal cells; wing veins R 2+3 and R 4 not connected by short crossvein ( Fig. 2B ).................... 2

2 Apex of wing vein R 2+3 directed sharply forward meeting C at an angle of about 90°, ending either at distal end or R (cell r 1 closed or short distance along C (cell r 1 open); R 4 strongly sinuate and arched forward after separation from R 5; cell cup and m 3 closed before wing margin; male with 6 abdominal tergites visible dorsally................................ Laphystia

- Apex wing vein R 2+3 not directed sharply forward ending in R 1 or C; R 4 not unusually arched and sinuate ( Fig. 2B ); cell cup and m 3 open to wing margin or one of two closed; male with 7 or 8 abdominal tergites visible dorsally..................... 3

3 Postmetacoxal area ventrally with transverse heavily sclerotized “V” shaped bridge; flagellum apically blunt, lacking stylus, with short bristle arising at or beyond middle of dorsal surface........................................... Atomosia

- Postmetacoxal area membranous; flagellum lacking stylus, with an apical pit containing a short spine or bristle........... 4

4 Proboscis dosoventrally compressed, narrower in profile when viewed from above, boat shaped and pointed at end in profile.......................................................................................... Andrenosoma

- Proboscis laterally compressed; two or more times as wide in profile when viewed from above........................ 5

5 Metanotal callosity bare (species are generally bare overall); hind femora thickened, usually with tubercles on ventral surface; tips of antennae slightly curved................................................................... .. Lampria

- Metanotal callosity with bristly pile (species are generally more pilose overall); hind femora not thickened, usually without tubercles on ventral surface; tips of antennae straight......................................................... 6

6 Male hind tibiae ventrally with apical dense pile of setae, without any spur or protuberance; female hind tibiae with dense pile of apical setae and only a few long setae........................................................... Choerades

- Male hind tibiae ventrally without apical dense pile of setae, with laterally pointed spur; female hind tibiae with dense pile of apical setae and many long setae.................................................................... Laphria

Figures

FIGURE 2 A–D. Robber fly wing venation and cells. A. Leptogaster sp. (Leptogastrinae) (Hull 1962), B. Atomosia puella (Laphriinae) (Hull 1962), C. Pogonioefferia staminea (Asilinae) (Hine 1919), D. Backomyia limpidipennis (Stenopogoninae) (Hull 1962). Abbreviations: veins—C, costa; CuA, anterior branch of cubital (cubitus); CuP, posterior branch of cubital; R1, anterior branch of radius; R, radius branching into R2+3, R4, R5. Cross veins: m-cu, medio-cubital; r-m, radio-medial. Cells: cua, anterior cubital; cup, posterior cubital; d, discal; m, medial (m1, m2, m3, m4); r1, radial (marginal); r3, r4, r5 posterior (submarginal). Figures not to scale.