Mallophora orcina (Wiedemann)

Dennis, D. Steve, Barnes, Jeffrey K. & Knutson, Lloyd, 2008, Pupal cases of Nearctic robber flies (Diptera: Asilidae), Zootaxa 1868 (1), pp. 1-98 : 61

Mallophora orcina (Wiedemann)

( Fig. 37 )

The following description is based on a pupal case from the United States National Museum that is pinned with an adult female labeled "Lexington, Kentucky; 6/11/39; reared, S.W. Bromley Collection 1955."

Description: Greatest length, including anterior antennal processes, 24.5 mm; greatest width of thorax 5.5 mm; greatest width of abdomen 5.0 mm, tapering to 1.3 mm at greatest width of abdominal segment 8. Head and thorax subshining golden brown, abdominal segments darker; spines and other processes glistening reddish brown, usually darker apically.

Head with pair of dorsally flattened, ventrally slightly wedge­shaped anterior antennal processes not joined at base and group of 3 subequal, basally fused posterior antennal processes; outer or third posterior process slightly curved; all 3 posterior processes acuminate. Labral sheath with apical keel surrounded by 3 dark concentric rings, rugulose anteriorly. Proboscial sheath with minute tubercles on each side of midline posteriorly and larger posterior tubercle on midline. Maxillary sheath with posterior acuminate process and rugulose area at base of process and anteriorly.

Anterior coxal sheath mostly smooth, with median longitudinal split on anterior third. Prothoracic spiracle elongate, surrounded by ring of cuticle, but almost flush with prothoracic area, situated laterally at anterior margin of thorax. Anterior mesothoracic spines consisting of pair of subequal, acuminate spines on each side of thorax above base of midleg sheath; posterior process broader than anterior, curved process. Thoracic area above spines rugulose. Posterior mesothoracic callosity large, situated at base of wing sheath, with 2 minute posterior mesothoracic spines on posterior margin; shorter spine located toward dorsum; longer spine located toward venter. Wing sheath rugulose on posterior third and above spiracle of abdominal segment 1, short tubercle near base and 2 shorter tubercles medially. Thoracic area above wing sheath slightly rugulose. Apex of hind leg sheaths reaching slightly beyond middle of abdominal segment 2.

Abdominal spiracles C­shaped, shining brown, located along midline laterally.

Abdominal segment 1 with dorsal transverse row of 16 dorsoventrally flattened, apically recurved spurs along anterior margin; outermost spur short, 2 median spines three­fourths as long as adjacent spines; fourth spine from each side apically trifurcate; dorsolateral bristle­like spines absent; 3 lateral bristle­like spines behind and below spiracle; venter obscured by wing and leg sheaths.

Segments 2–6 with dorsomedian transverse row of 13–14 alternating long, straight to apically recurved spurs and slightly shorter spines; median and some lateral spines bifurcate; segment 7 with 10 straight to apically recurved dorsomedian spurs and spines.

Segments 2–7 with 3–4 dorsolateral bristle­like spines often fused basally and 6–8 lateral bristle­like spines behind each spiracle.

Segment 2 with 3–4 short ventral bristle­like spines on each side of hind leg sheath; outer spines sometimes fused basally. Segments 3–7 with complete row of 10–14 short ventral bristle­like spines; outer spines often bifurcate.

Segment 8 with 2 dorsal spurs on each side of midline, 3 lateral spines on each side, 2 ventrolateral spines and 2 median tubercles between and slightly posterior to ventrolateral spines; spiracle absent.

Segment 9 with pair of long dorsal posterolateral processes curved outward and pair of shorter ventral posterolateral processes fused basally to dorsal posterolateral processes; pair of median and lateral tubercles midventrally on posterior part of segment 9 and pair of minute tubercles along midline anteriorly near junction with segment 8.

Figures

FIGURE 37. Mallophora orcina (Wiedemann), lateral view with enlarged dosolateral view of thoracic region and ventral view of abdominal segments 8–9. Abbreviations: amsp = anterior mesothoracic spine, dpp = dorsal posterolateral process, pmc = posterior mesothoracic callosity, vpp = ventral posterolateral process.