Laphria

Dennis, D. Steve, Barnes, Jeffrey K. & Knutson, Lloyd, 2008, Pupal cases of Nearctic robber flies (Diptera: Asilidae), Zootaxa 1868 (1), pp. 1-98 : 22-23

Key to known pupal cases of Nearctic species of Laphria

1 Head with 3–5 posterior antennal processes; abdominal segment 1 lacking dorsolateral spines; abdominal segment 2 with 0–8 (usually 0–5) ventral bristle­like spines on each side of hind leg sheath....................2

­ Head with 4 posterior antennal processes; abdominal segment 1 with 2–8 dorsolateral bristle­like spines; segment 2 with 2–18 ventral bristle­like spines on each side of hind leg sheath........................................4

2 Head with 4 posterior antennal processes; abdominal segment 1 with 2–3 bristle­like spines behind each spiracle; abdominal segment 2 with 2 ventral bristle­like spines on each side of hind leg sheath; segment 8 with single dorsal spine and small reddish­brown spiracle on each side of midline and with 2–3 short dorsolateral spines ...................................................................................................... Laphria aimatis McAtee

­ Head with 3 or 5 posterior antennal processes; abdominal segment 1 with 3–5 bristle­like spines behind each spiracle; abdominal segment 2 with 0–8 (usually 3–8) ventral bristle­like spines on each side of hind leg sheath; segment 8 with single dorsal spine and small yellowish spiracle on each side of midline, lacking dorsolateral spines.................................................................................................................................3

3 Head with 3 posterior antennal processes; abdominal segments 2–5 with 21–29 dorsal spines; abdominal segments 3–7 with 9–11 ventral bristle­like spines on each side of median space .. Laphria index McAtee

­ Head with 5 posterior antennal processes; abdominal segments 2–4 and 5–6 with 24–33 and 15–21 dorsal spines, respectively; segments 3–7 with 13–18 ventral bristle­like spines on each side of median space..... ............................................................................................................................... Laphria sackeni (Banks)

4 Abdominal segment 1 with 34–52 stout, dorsal spines, usually 6–8 dorsolateral bristle­like spines (sometimes none), and 6–10 lateral bristle­like spines behind each abdominal spiracle; abdominal segments 2–5 with 5–15 dorsolateral bristle­like spines ....................................................... Laphria thoracica Fabricius

­ Abdominal segment 1 with 26–30 stout, dorsal spines, 2–4 dorsolateral bristle­like spines, and 3–7 lateral bristle­like spines behind each abdominal spiracle; abdominal segments 2–5 with 1–6 dorsolateral bristlelike spines....................................................................................................................................................5

5 Abdominal segment 1 with dorsal transverse row of subequal stout spines and 5 alternately long and short bristle­like spines behind each abdominal spiracle; abdominal segments 6–7 with 10–12 stout dorsal spines and 6–8 dorsolateral bristle­like spines; segment 2 with 8 ventral spines on each side of hind leg sheath .................................................................................................................. Laphria virginica (Banks)

­ Abdominal segment 1 with dorsal transverse row of stout spines of unequal length and 3–7 bristle­like spines of equal size behind each abdominal spiracle; abdominal segments 6–7 with 6–13 dorsal stout spines and 2–6 dorsolateral bristle­like spines; venter of abdominal segment 2 with 5–8 ventral bristle­like spines on each side of hind leg sheath.........................................................................................................6

6 Abdominal segment 1 with dorsomedian pair of short bifurcate spines and 3 lateral bristle­like spines behind each abdominal spiracle; abdominal segments 6–7 with 13 stout dorsal spines; segment 2 with 7–8 ventral bristle­like spines on each side of hind leg sheaths; abdominal segment 3 with 10–13 ventral bristle­like spines on each side of midline; abdominal segments 4–7 with 19–26 ventral bristle­like spines; abdominal segment 8 with 1 large dorsal spine and 1 small yellowish spiracle on each side of midline ..... ..................................................................................................................................... Laphria sericea Say.

­ Abdominal segment 1 with dorsomedian pair of long spines and 6–7 lateral bristle­like spines behind each abdominal spiracle; abdominal segments 6–7 with 6–8 stout dorsal spines; abdominal segment 2 with 5–6 ventral bristle­like spines on each side of hind leg sheath, abdominal segments 3–7 with 18–22 ventral bristle­like spines; abdominal segment 8 with 1 large dorsal spine, 1 small spiracle, and 1–2 short dorsolateral spines on each side of midline ...................................................................... Laphria flavicollis Say