Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Asilidae ID (Israel)

Posted by dror on 16-06-2015 09:58
#1

The attached pictures were taken yesterday in Jerusalem.
In the gallery the most similar seems to be Dysmachus hiulcus; in other places I found Laphria marginata which does not appear in the gallery.
Can the genus and species be identified from photos?
Thanks,
-- Dror

Posted by Quaedfliegh on 18-06-2015 07:53
#2

Because of the shape of the ovipositor this is not Dysmachus. I do not dare to say what it is although it is reminiscent of Kurzenkoiellus sp.

You will find L. marginata under Choerades.

Posted by dror on 19-06-2015 18:38
#3

Thanks for the information!
It indeed looks similar. But what is the relationship between Kurzenkoiellus and Machimus? Pictures I saw had the label of "Machimus (Kurzenkoiellus) dasypygus" for example.


Posted by Quaedfliegh on 19-06-2015 23:30
#4

Lehr erected Kurzenkoiellus for Machimus dasypygus in 1995. I understand why he erected a new genus based on morphological differences. The over all looks are different from Machimus especially in the shape of the male hypopygium. Also the ovipositor is shaped slightly different, but the cerci are free what it seperates from Dysmachus. I do not know how it relates exactly to Machimus/Tolmerus etc., but to me it seems something between Neomochtherus and Tolmerus, based simply on morphological characters.

Posted by dror on 20-06-2015 06:44
#5

Thanks again!
Sם Kurzenkoiellus is a single-species genus?

Posted by Quaedfliegh on 21-06-2015 23:37
#6

Maybe not.... i read somewhere that on the Iberian peninsula there might be a another species which also used to be in Machimus. Bosak and Hradsky place M tephraeus also in Kurzenkoiellus. I noticed that there is still a lot unknown about the Asilidae of Southern Europe, i can imagine it is the same in Israel despite all the important work byTheodor. : )