Key to species (males) of Tipula (Vestiplex) from Northwest China

1. Wing normal, suitable for flight......................................................................... 2

– Wing reduced to a small flake.......................................................................... 17

2. Tergite 9 divided by pale membrane (Fig. 44)........................................... T. (V.) shaanxiana sp. nov.

– Tergite 9 modified with tergal saucer..................................................................... 3

3. Lobe of gonocoxite present (Figs 4, 25, 36)................................................................ 4

– Lobe of gonocoxite absent (Fig. 11)...................................................................... 8

4. Antenna reaching just base of wing if bent backward (Fig. 33)................................................. 5

– Antenna reaching beyond base of abdomen if bent backward (Figs 1, 22)........................................ 6

5. General body coloration brownish-yellow; first flagellomere yellow (Fig. 33); posterior margin of tergal saucer without spine (Fig. 37)...................................................................... T. (V.) scripta Meigen, 1830

– General body coloration blackish; first flagellomere black; posterior margin of tergal saucer with an acute median spine................................................................................. T. (V.) mediovittata Mik, 1889

6. Antenna reaching middle of body if bent backward; clasper of gonostylus with acute spine at lateral margin....................................................................................... T. (V.) pallitergata Alexander, 1934

– Antenna reaching base of abdomen if bent backward; clasper of gonostylus without spine at lateral margin.............. 7

7. The lateral margin of tergite 2 ocherous, sparsely pruinose; anterior part of tergite 9 with two protrusions (Figs 1, 5)............................................................................. T. (V.) coquillettiana Alexander, 1924

– The lateral margin of tergite 2 yellow; anterior part of tergite 9 with four protrusions (Figs 22, 26).................................................................................................... T. (V.) quadricorna sp. nov.

8. Nasus absent........................................................................................ 9

– Nasus present....................................................................................... 11

9. Body brownish-yellow; abdomen reddish-yellow.................................... T. (V.) kozlovi Savchenko, 1960

– Body grayish-black; abdomen grayish-black or black........................................................ 10

10. Body length 8.5 mm; first tergite covered with long black setae; each flagellomere except first one without outwarding protrusions at apex................................................................ T. (V.) setigera Savchenko, 1960

– Body length 14.5–16 mm; first tergite without long black setae; each flagellomere, except first one, with strongly outwarding protrusions at apex............................................................ T. (V.) nubila Savchenko, 1960

11. Antenna 13-segmented............................................................................... 12

– Antenna 15-segmented............................................................................... 13

12. Antenna reaching slightly beyond base of abdomen if bent backward; body length 16–19 mm; tergal saucer of tergite 9 with a horn-like protrusion at latero-posterior margin (Figs 8, 12)......................... T. (V.) kuwayamai Alexander, 1921

– Antenna reaching middle of abdomen if bent backward; body length 9.5–11.5 mm; tergal saucer of tergite 9 without protrusion at latero-posterior margin...................................................... T. (V.) pauxilla Savchenko, 1960

13. Antenna reaching base of wing or slightly beyond if bent backward............................................ 14

– Antenna reaching base of abdomen if bent backward........................................................ 15

14. Abdomen with wide, vague brown dorsal stripe; each flagellomere, except first one, with extremely outwarding protrusions at apex; posterior margin of tergite 9 smooth without serrated protrusion............. .. T. (V.) virgatula virgatula Riedel, 1913

– Abdomen with a narrow, brown dorsal stripe; each flagellomere, except first one, without outwarding protrusions at apex; posterior margin of tergite 9 with serrated protrusion.............................. T. (V.) coronifera Savchenko, 1960

15. Body length 13.5–15.0 mm; nasus blunt, equals to 1/4–1/5 length of the rostrum; clasper of gonostylus with a yellow rodshaped projection............................................................. T. (V.) aestiva Savchenko, 1960

– Body length 17.0–22.0 mm; nasus sharp, longer than 1/4 length of the rostrum; clasper of gonostylus without rod-shaped projection............................................................................................. 16

16. First flagellomere yellow; tergite 9 with an elevated ridge; posterior margin of tergite 9 with serrated protrusion........................................................................................ T. (V.) leucoprocta Mik, 1889

– First flagellomere black; tergite 9 without elevated ridge; posterior margin of tergite 9 smooth without serrated protrusion................................................................... T. (V.) virgatula montivaga Savchenko, 1960

17. Antenna 15-segmented, reaching beyond middle of abdomen if bent backward; body length 7.5–8.0 mm; tergal saucer with an elevated median ridge........................................................... T. (V.) aptera Savchenko, 1955

– Antenna 13-segmented, reaching just base of abdomen if bent backward; body length 11.5–12.0 mm; tergal saucer without median ridge............................................. T. (V.) opilionimorpha opilionimorpha Savchenko, 1955