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+ Introduction
+ History
+ Morphology
+ Terminology
     + Head
     + Antenna
     + Thorax
     + Leg
     + Wing
     + Abdomen
     + Genitalia
     + Chaetotaxy
     + Egg
     + Larva
     + Pupa
     + Addition
     + ESEM
     + Glossary
+ Phylogeny
+ Distribution
+ Ecology
+ Biology
+ Collecting
+ Determination
+ Photography
+ References

Information on Robber Flies
Terminology
Thorax

Fig. 1: thorax, dorsal
Fig. 1: thorax, dorsal
  Fig. 1:
1 = antepronotum, aprn; anterior antepronotum [1+8]; anterior pronotum [1/3]; anterior pronotum [8]
2 = postpronotum, pprn; posterior antepronotum [1+8]; posterior pronotum [1/3]; anterior pronotum [8]
1+2+5  = pronotum, prn [1]
3 = mesoanterior angle of postpronotum and a mesonatal apodeme between the two lobes in almost all Leptogastrinae; in Euscelidia an additional postpronotal peg [1+8]; mesoanterior angle of posterior pronotum and a mesonotal pit between the two lobes in almost all Leptogastrinae; in Euscelidia an additional peg [8]; pronotal lobe of Leptogastrinae between which lies the central mesonotal pit [Dikow pers. comm.]
4 = prescutum, presct [1/7]
5 = postpronotal lobe, pprn lb; humerus (pl. humeri); humeral callus [1]; postpronotum [7]; humeral callus = posterior area of posterior pronotum [8]
6 = notopleuron, npl; paratergite [7] [better: Cannings, 2002]
7 = transverse suture, trn sut [1/7]
8 = presutural area of scutum, presut area
9 = postsutural area of scutum, psut area; scutum [7] (incorrect) [1]
8+9 = scutum, sct; mesonotum (* incorrect) [1]
10 = postalar callus, pal cal [1]; parascutellum [7]
11 = postalar wall, pal wal; postalar declivity [1]
12 = scutellum, sctl [1/7]
* mesonotum = prescutum (reduced in Diptera) + scutum + scutellum + postnotum (= metanotum, postscutellum) [1]

Fig. 2: thorax, lateral
Fig. 2: thorax, lateral
Fig. 2: 1 = cervix, cerv [1]. - 2 = antepronotum, aprn; anterior antepronotum [1+8]; anterior pronotum [1/3]. - 3 = postpronotum, pprn; posterior antepronotum [1+8]; posterior pronotum [1/3]. - 4 = postpronotal lobe, pprn lb; humeri [1]; humeral callus [3]; postpronotum [7]. - 5 = mesothoracic spiracle, mes spr; anterior spiracle [1/6]; prothoracic spiracle [5]. - 6 = anepisternum, anepst [1/7]; upper part of episternum [1]; anepisternum 2 [3/4]; mesopleuron [1/5/6]. - 7 = anterior notal wing process ? [1]. - 8 = transverse suture, trn sut; transscutal suture; scutal suture (incorrect) [1]. - 9 = anterior & posterior basalare [1]; basalare 2 [3]; anterior basalare [Cannings, 2002]. - 10 = wing base, wg bs [1]. - 11 = pleural wing process, plr wg proc; subalare? [7]; subalare 2? [3]; posterior basalare [Cannings, 2002]. - 12 = ? [1]. - 13 = postalar callus, pal cal [1]; posterior callus [5]; parascutellum [7]; postalar callosity [Cannings, 2002]. - 14 = postalar wall, pal wal; postalar declivity [1]. - 15 = scutellum, sctl [1]; mesoscutellum [5]. - 16 = katatergite (part of mesopostnotum), ktg; ventral portion of laterotergite [1/4]; laterotergite of postnotum [3]; mesepimeron [5]. - 17 = mesopostnotum (mediotergite + laterotergite), mes pnot; mediotergite [1/7/Cannings, 2002]; anterior portion: subscutellum or postscutellum [1]. - 18 = anatergite (part of mesopostnotum), anatg; dorsal portion of laterotergite [1/4]; slopes of postmesonotum [5]; postnotal callus [6]. - 19 = abdominal tergite 1, abd tg 1 [1]. - 20 = 2nd cervical sclerite, cerv scl 2 [1/3]; 2nd laterocervical sclerite; lateral cervicale [7]. - 21 = proepisternum, prepst, anterior propleuron [1]; episternum [3]; propleuron [5]; precoxal bridge [7]. - 22 = proepimeron, prepm; posterior propleuron [1]; epimeron 1 [3/4]. - 23 = ? [1]; precoxale 1. - 24 = coxa 1 (pl. coxae), cx 1 [1]; precoxa. - 25 = ? [1]; precoxale 2. - 26 = katepisternum, kepst [1/7]; lower part of episternum; sternopleuron; sternopleurite; preepisternum [1]; mesosternum (incorrect) [3]; katepisternum 2 [4]; sternopleuron 2 [5/6]. - 27 = coxa 2, cx 2 [1]; mesocoxa. - 28 = katepimeron, kepm; barrette [1]. - 29 = anepimeron, anepm [1/7]; epimeron 2 [3]; pteropleuron [1/5/6]. - 30 = meron, mr [1/7]; meropleuron; hypopleuron [1/3/4/5/6]; remark: usually fused with metepisternum. - 31 = metkatepisternum, mtkepst 3; precoxale [4]. - 32 = coxa 3, cx 3 [1]; metacoxa. - 33 = metanepisternum, mtepst; episternum 3 [3/4]; mesepisterum [5]; remark: usually fused with meron. - 34 = metepimeron, mtepm [1/5]; epimeron 3 + notum 3 [3]; epimeron 3 [4]. - 33+34 = metapleuron [1]. - 35 = katepimeron, kepm [1]. - 36 = metathoracic spiracle, met spr [5]; posterior spiracle [1/6]. - 37 = halter, hlt [1]. - 38 = abdominal sternite 1, abd st 1 [1]. - 39 = abdominal sternite 2, abd st 2 [1].

Fig. 3: thorax, ventral
Fig. 3: thorax, ventral
1 = prosternum, prst; precoxal bridge, if it is joined with proepisternum [1/6/7]
2 = postpronotal lobe, pprn lb; humeri [1]; humeral callus [3/5]
3 = proepimeron, prepm; posterior propleuron [1]; epimeron 1 [3/4]
4 = katepisternum, kepst; lower part of episternum; sternopleuron; sternopleurite; preepisternum [1]; mesosternum (incorrect) [3]; katepisternum 2 [4]; sternopleuron 2 [5/6]
5 = anepisternum, anepst; upper part of episternum [1]; anepisternum 2 [3/4]; mesopleuron [1/5/6]
6 = anepimeron, anepm and katatergite [1]
7 = meron, mr; meropleuron; hypopleuron [1/3/4/5/6]
8 = ? [1]; precoxale [4]
9 = metepimeron, mtepm [1/5]; epimeron 3 + notum 3 [3]; epimeron 3 [4]
10 = abdominal tergite 1, abd tg 1 [1]
11 = abdominal tergite 2, abd tg 2 [1]
12 = front coxal foramen [-]; front coxal cavity [5]
13 = mesosternum [1]; sternopleuron of mesothorax [5]
14 = mid coxal foramen [-]; mid coxal cavity [5]
15 = hind coxal foramen [-]; hind coxal cavity [5]
16 = ? [1]; mesoepisternum + metepisternum [5]
17 = metasternum, = postcoxal bridge ? [1/5]; remark: this sklerite is not known from all robber flies and further studies have to clearify it
18 = abdominal sternite 1, abd st 1 [1]
19 = abdominal sternite 2, abd st 2 [1]

References

[1] McAlpine, J.F. (1981): Morphology and terminology - Adults. - In: McAlpine, J.P. et al. (eds.): Manuel of Nearctic Diptera, vol. 1; p. 9-63 - Ottawa: Research Branch, Agriculture Canada, Monograph 27.

[2] Hull, F.M. (1962): Robber flies of the world, 2 volumes; 907 pp. - Washington: Bulletin of the United States National Museum 224 (1,2).

[3] Cole, F.R. & Pritchard, A.E. (1964): The genus Mallophora and related asilid genera in North America (Diptera: Asilidae). - University of California Publications in Entomology 36: 43-100, 4 pls.; Berkeley - Los Angeles.

[4] Fisher, E. (1986): A reclassification of the robber fly tribe Andrenosomini, with a revision of the genus Dasyllis Loew (Diptera: Asilidae); 361 pp. - Riverside: Ph.D. thesis, University of California.

[5] Artigas, J.N. (1967): The Asilidae (Diptera) of Chile, 2 Vols. - Xerography of Doctoral Diss., University Microfilms: 674 pp.; Ann Arbor.

[6] Theodor, O. (1980): Fauna Palaestina - Insecta II - Diptera: Asilidae; 446 pp. - Jerusalem: The Israel Academy of Science and Humantities.

[7] Crampton, G.C. (1942): Guide to the insects of Connecticut. Part IV. The Diptera, or true flies of Connecticut. The external morphology of the Diptera. - Bulletin of the Connecticut Geological and Natural History Survey 64: 10-165; Hartford.

[8] Martin, C.H. (1968): The new family Leptogastridae (The Grass Flies) compared with the Asilidae (robber flies) (Diptera). - Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 41(1): 70-100; Manhattan - Lawrence.

 

 

 

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compiled by: F. Geller-Grimm, contents: F. Geller-Grimm & T. Dikow