Diptera.info

Posted by Holly on 21-06-2014 17:19

Hi to everyone

Oasi Boza (Cassano Magnago, Varese, Italy), 20 june 2014.

Is it possible to determine the genus at least?

i58.tinypic.com/2a94ldz.jpg

Federica

Edited by Holly on 07-09-2017 15:46

Posted by Ectemnius on 07-11-2014 07:36

Hello Holly,

This looks to me to be a female Dysmachus picipes. However, I leave the final judgement to Quaedfliegh...

Greetings,

Ectemnius

Edited by Paul Beuk on 07-11-2014 09:49

Posted by Holly on 12-11-2014 18:37

Thank you guys!
May you explain the useful characteristics to identify the species?

Federica

Posted by jaho on 13-11-2014 17:40

Take a look at an ovipositor (female's black chitin organ used to lay eggs) and those long hair on its underside, which are well seen on your first and last photo. Here it's even more visible: http://www.robberflies.info/keyger/images/800/Asilinae/Didysmachus/picipes_f1_01_COGG.jpg

Posted by Holly on 13-11-2014 21:41

So, is this the only species to have hair on the ovipositor?
Thanks again!

Federica

Posted by jaho on 15-11-2014 12:41

Nope

For instance D. harpax has them also, but little shorter and the shape of an ovipositor is much different. On the other hand a similar ovipositor have females of D. fuscipennis, but not so elongated as D. picipes and hair are barely visible. At first I meant to emphasize the most striking feature - the length of hair, which is characteristic for this species. Nevertheless you should always pay attention to the shape of an ovipositor. It's is a well distinguishing feature within females of Dysmachus, which is quite untypical for Asilinae.

Posted by Quaedfliegh on 17-11-2014 17:33

#11

The thing is that this is not an ovipositor of a Dysmachus species cerci should not be sticking out like this. In Dysmachus the bristles would cover the entire back of the mesonotum. This is a Machimus species. Maybe M. rusticus