Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Connoisseurs in Leucopis?

Posted by KWQ on 31-08-2010 09:55
#4

Great to recieve your friendly and interested transatlantic answer, Steve!

Well, now we can proceed. Is it OK that I write my inquiries here in public, since you never know if others here might also benefit from your answers?

Firstly, I have a literature problem, I only have a Collin's old (1963) British article and Bei-Bienko's Keys to the Insects...(1988).
These don't include even nearly all of the Leucopis species announced from Finland (more than 10, but not systematically checked yet). Is there any publication that covers better the genital pictures? Could Tanasijtshuk's 1986 publication (Fauna USSR) be one?

Secondly, even if I have this lack of literature I'd like to ask about 2 striking taxonomic features whether they are characteristic or decisive taxonomically. If so, I could start with trying to compare my specimens against the species of your possible suggestions.

It's a pity that in these cases my needles go just through that place of abdomen where there should be prescutellar bristles - or not, so I'm unsure whether they belong to the Leucopis s. str.

1. The dots on the abdomen. Another of my males (which could belong to the subgenus Leucopomyia, I think there is a prescutellar)) has a pair of black dots on the 2nd large tergite and a single dot on the fore margin of the two following tergites. It also has brown lines on thorax.

2. The coloration of arista. Another species has an unicolorous silvery abdomen and thorax but an interesting-looking arista. It is basally thickened and light yellow. Then there is a little darkened area and after that the arista is lighter again.