Physocephala vittata, Fabricius, 1794

Stuke, Jens-Hermann, 2016, Taxonomic notes on Western Palaearctic Conopidae (Diptera), Zootaxa 4178 (4), pp. 521-534 : 529

P. vittata ( Fabricius, 1794)

Conops vittata Fabricius, 1794: 392 ; type-locality: “ Kiliae ” [ Germany]; no information available about type material [ ZMUC]

Diagnosis. Physocephala vittata is an extremely variable species in characters such as colouration and dusting of the pleura, all of which show intermediates. This situation has historically resulted in the description of numerous taxa of dubious validity, some of which might represent subspecies but which are presently best interpreted as colour morphs in the absence of better information. The key to colour morphs below gives an overview of the variability and the past nomenclature of these taxa, but it should be noted there are many intermediates and it is not possible to identify all forms with certainty.

Typical specimens of P. vittata are easily recognised by the lack of dense dusting on the pleura, the lack of dense dusting on the hind coxa, the completely yellow face and the characteristic wing pattern comprising a distinct dark fore margin, with subcostal cell sc always hyaline and obviously paler than the base of radial cell r2+3, subcostal vein Sc yellowish brown and obviously paler than the dark brown radial vein R2+3, radial cell r2+3 usually hyaline, distally with an isolated spot around the vein R4+5+M. Difficulties arise with specimens which have a distinct dusted stripe on the pleura, and such specimens have in the past given rise to many misidentifications. Usually the hind coxa is not densely dusted, however, even where there is a dusting stripe on the pleura. In P. vittata , the dusting on the pleura —if there is any dusting at all— almost invariably arises at a point well above the mid coxa and becomes obviously narrower as it reaches the notopleuron. In addition, the mediotergite has no dense dusting stripe dorsally.