Laphyctis Loew, 1858

Londt, Jason G. H. & Dikow, Torsten, 2018, A review of the assassin-fly genus Laphyctis Loew, 1858 with descriptions of two new species (Diptera, Asilidae, Laphriinae), African Invertebrates 59 (1), pp. 75-106 : 75

Laphyctis Loew, 1858

Laphyctis Loew, 1858: 338 [1860: 159]. Type species: Stichopogon gigantella Loew, 1852, by monotypy. [reinstated by Londt 1988: 513]

Laphystia (Laphystiella) Hull, 1962: 76. Type species: Laphystia argenteofasciata Engel, 1929.

Diagnosis

(based primarily on key characters used by Londt and Dikow (2017b)): Head: antennal stylus without long setulae; postpedicel much longer than scape and pedicel combined; scape less than twice as long as pedicel; mystax includes strong macrosetae largely restricted to ventral facial margin; frons approximately the same width at level of antennal insertion and vertex or only slightly diverging; compound eye more or less oval or posterior margin slightly sinuate in ventral quarter; face as wide or wider than width of one eye; anterior tentorial pits small, slit-like, inconspicuous ventrally.

Thorax: prosternum fused to proepisternum; thoracic macrosetae obvious and moderately well-developed; anepisternum without obvious strong macroseta on supero-posterior angle. Wing: R2+3 ending in C, cell r1 thus open on wing margin; cell r5 open or closed; cell m3 closed; alula usually well-developed. Legs: prothoracic tibia without any spine-like tibial processes (macrosetae may be present); pulvilli well-developed (as long as or a little shorter than claws).

Abdomen: abdominal tergite 2 less than four times as long as wide; sternite 1 confined beneath tergite 1; abdominal macrosetae obvious and moderately well-developed; male terminalia with distinct macrosetae on distal margin of gonocoxite (Fig. 41); female terminalia simple (T10 never divided and without acanthophorite spines).