Posted by Juergen Peters on 02-01-2011 03:02
#7
Hi, Chris!
ChrisR wrote:
P.germanica[/i] and P.cognata are virtually impossible to split without male genitalia, IMO.
No reliable character, but normally
P. cognata has a much lighter (red) head colouration here (and is much rarer than
germanica). We had several discussions about
Panorpa identification in my forum - but in German, so I think, posting links would be of no use here.
I have all 3 species in my area - P.communis is the commonest, then P.germanica, then P.cognata.
Don't you have
vulgaris (distinguishable from
communis by basal wing spot extending over two veins),
alpina (which is by no means an alpine species; it occurs over whole of Germany) and
hybrida? Except
hybrida, which I have not found, yet, they all live here around my home in northwest Germany. Most abundant are
P. communis and
germanica, then
vulgaris. The two others I only found occasionally.