101a (100a). Three ocelli present; palpi normally prominent; proboscis
adapted for piercing (Figs.A-E); top of head hollowed out between
eyes; abdomen tapering or oval; lobe .... A ..... (alula)
usually at base of wing (both larvae & adults are predators) …...
(Diptera) .. Asilidae <Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
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101b. One ocellus or none present; antennae with 4 segments;
palpi vestigial; proboscis with fleshy labellae (= exposed tip of labium); large
flies (Figs.A-C) (both larvae
& adults are
predators) ............ (Diptera)
Mydaidae <Habits>;
<Adults> & <Juveniles>
|
102a (100b). Costa continues around wing
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103a (102a). Wing has 5 posterior cells
|
103b. Wing has at most 4 posterior cells
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104b. Fourth vein (M-1) ends before apex of wing (Fig.A) (both adults & larvae
are predators
of other arthropods; rare in arid regions of western North America) ..... (Diptera) Apioceridae <Habits>;
<Adults> & <Juveniles>
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105a (103b). Anal cell open or closed near wing margin; antennal style
short, never longer than 3rd antennal segment; body usually
hairy, stocky and somewhat humpbacked; brown or grayish
flies (Figs.A-C) (parasitize a variety of immature
arthropods; most common in southwestern United States) ....... A ........ (Diptera) Bombyliidae
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105b. Anal cell short and closed far from wing margin; anal vein
does not reach wing margin; antennal
style (= bristle) usually longer than
3rd antennal segment; body usually bare, slender and black (Fig.A) (predators of small arthropods)
............ (Diptera) Empididae <Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
|
106a (99b). Wing normal, not obviously rounded
apically; venation normal
|
106b. Wing rounded apically; veins very well
developed anteriorly; antennae appear one- segmented with long arista
(= bristle on apical segment); long hind legs and flattened femora; body
humpbacked (Fig.A) (parasitoids of ant pupae, larvae
& pupae of Lepidoptera & Hymenoptera; some species are predators
... A ........ (Diptera) Phoridae <Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
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107a (106a). Spurious vein (= vein-like thickening of wing membrane
between 2 true veins) in wing absent; anal cell usually
short
|
108a (107a). Frontal lanule (= crescent-shaped sclerite above
base of antennae) completely absent
|
108b. Frontal lunule present as a
crescent-shaped sclerite above antennae
|
109a (108a). Head normal, not exceptionally large; front and face
usually wide
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110a (109a). Crossvein r-m located beyond basal 1/4th of
wing; anal cell pointed apically; proboscis usually rigid; body not
metallic; %% genitalia terminal, not folded under abdomen (Fig.A);
relatively slender and usually black flies (adults and larvae
are A ..predaceous
on smaller insects) (please also refer to couplet 105)..….......... (Diptera) Empididae <Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
|
110b. Crossvein r-m located in basal 1/4th of wing;
2nd basal and discal cells united; anal cell when present rounded apically;
body usually metallic; %% genitalia frequently folded forward
under abdomen (Fig.A) (predators of small arthropods)
............. (Diptera) Dolichopodidae <Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
|
111a (108b). Second antennal segment with a lateral subdorsal
longitudinal seam; thorax with a complete
transverse suture; calypter (= lobe at wing base) large
|
111b. Second antennal segment without a longitudinal seam; thorax
without a complete transverse
suture; calypter small or rudimentary
|
112a (111a). Hypopleural bristles (rather vertical row usually above
hind coxae) present
|
112b. Hypopleural bristles absent; 3rd (R-5)
and 4th (M-1) veins almost parallel at wing
tip or 4th
vein bends forward; undersurface of scutellum with fine erect hairs (Figs.A-B)
A ...... (predators of dipterous larvae)....(Diptera) Anthomyiidae <Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
|
113a (112a). Postscutellum developed; hypopleura with strong bristles;
eyes usually bare; body of && large, variously
colored, but usually blackish (Figs.A-G) (parasitoids of many types of insects) ........ A ...... (Diptera) Tachinidae <Habits>;
<Adults> & <Juveniles>
|
113b. Postscutellum not developed;
hypopleura with a row of bristles
|
114a (113b). Body usually gray with 3 black stripes
on mesonotum, bare but not metallic; usually 4 notopleural bristles;
arista usually plumose (= featherlike) in basal
half A .... (Figs.A-B) (parasitoids of grasshoppers &
other arthropods) .... (Diptera)
Sarcophagidae <Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
|
115a (111b). Proboscis shorter than head; head never broader than thorax; first posterior cell not quite
narrowed apically
|
115b. Proboscis longer than head, slender and rigit, often folding;
head wider than thorax; first posterior cell narrowed or closed
apically; abdomen clavate (= club-like), bent downward at apex (Figs.A-B) (parasitoids of wild bees) ....... A ....... (Diptera) Conopidae <Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
|
116b. Eyes oval horizontally, 2X as long as high; costa not
broken; postocellar bristles converge or are absent, if absent, arista present; body grayish with yellowish
markings on lateral thorax and abdomen
and on front (Fig.A) (predators of mites & Homoptera)
............ (Diptera)
Chamaemyidae (Ochthiphilidae) <Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
|
[Skip couplet
117a/117b]
Parasitic and Predatory
Hymenoptera
118a
(15a, 41a, 67b & 84a).
Last sternite (= ventral plate) of female
abdomen divided longitudinally;
ovipositor issues from anterior to tip of abdomen and has a pair of
exserted sheathes capable of covering
ovipositor tip; hind wing usually without lobes
|
118b. Last sternite of && abdomen not divided longitudinally;
ovipositor (or sting) issues from the tip of abdomen and without a
pair of exserted sheathes; hind wing often with an anal lobe
|
119a (118a). Wing venation well developed; stigma (= thickening of wing
membrane along costal border) well developed;
hind trochanter with 2 segments........ Hymenoptera) ........ (Ichneumonoidea [Figs. 26, 27, 28 y 29]
& Evanioidea)
[Figs. 1, 15, 21, 22 y 24)]
|
119b. Wing venation reduced; stigma absent
or poorly developed; trochanter with 1 segment
|
120b. Costal cell present; antennae with fewer than 16 segments; abdomen
short with long petiole
arising on propodeum (= posterior part of thorax that is actually 1st
abdominal segment), far above bases of hind coxae (Figs.A-B) (parasitoids of cockroach egg capsules) ........... (Hymenoptera) (Evanioidea) Evaniidae <Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles> (also Fig. 22)
|
121a (120a). Wing with one or no recurrent veins;
propodeum not prolonged beyond hindcoxae
|
123b. Pronotum does not reach tegula; prepectus (= area along
anterior ventral margin of mesepisternum
outlined by a suture) present; antennae geniculate, with one or more proximal segments
of flagellum often reduced to ring-like segments; abdominal segment behind propodeum always in form of a
petiole, although not always clear......(Hymenoptera) (Chalcidoidea) <Overview>; <General
References>
|
124a (123a). Largest segment of abdomen (side view) tergites 2 or 3 and
never more than one short tergite in front of the largest
tergite
|
124b. Largest segment of abdomen (side view) tergites 4, 5 or 6,
with at least 2, 3 or 4 short tergites behind petiole and preceding
the largest tergite; abdomen very compressed laterally; ovipositor curved under
"membranous flap" (Fig.A) (parasitoids of sawflies A in family
Siricidae)........... (Hymenoptera) (Cynipoidea) Ibaliidae <Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles> (also Fig. 44)
|
125a (124a). Tergite 2 longest and usually forming at least 1/2 the abdomen; radial cell open (except in Charips) and petiole without enlarged
ring bearing longitudinal striations (gall-formers and hyperparasitoids in
aphids). If radial cell is closed
and petiole has striated ring, then tergites 2 & 3 are fused
into a single saddle-shaped tergite that covers entire abdomen (Figs.A-C) (Synergus inquilines in oak
galls) ........ A .... (Hymenoptera) (Cynipoidea) Cynipidae <Habits>; <Adults> & <Juveniles>
> [also
Figs. 42, 50 & fly-par.htm
|
126a (118b). Pronotum almost reaches or does reach tegula, but lacks a
rounded lobe on lateral margin
|
127a (126a). Venation of fore wing well developed; hind
wing with veins or a basal lobe
|
128b. Venation of hind wing not reduced,
with at least one closed cell
|
129a (128a). Antennae with 12-13 segments; tarsi normal
|
130b. Abdomen with 6 (females) or 7 (males) tergites; sternites
convex; body not metallic (Figs.A-C) (parasitoids of
Coleoptera & Lepidoptera) ............ (Hymenoptera) (Bethyloidea =
Chrysidoidea) Bethylidae (also Figs. 75
& 79)
|
131a (128b). Petiole without nodes or node-like swellings
|
132a (131a). First discoidal cell shorter than submedian
cell; fore wings rarely folded
|
133a (132a). Mesopleuron not divided by an oblique suture; hind femur does not extend to tip of abdomen
|
134a (133a). Mesosternum and metasternum separate, not forming a single large
plate; wings without wrinkles
|
135a (134a). Mesosternum simple, without appendages
|
137a (127b). Antennae inserted near clypeus
|
138a (137a). Abdomen sharply margined at sides
|
Major
Families of Adult Entomophagous Hemiptera
/ Heteroptera:
141a (140a). Hind tarsi with claws
|
142a (141a). Membrane of hemelytra without veins
|
144a (140b). Fore legs relatively short and slender compared to other
legs; tarsal claws anteapical (especially obvious on
fore legs)
|
144b. Fore legs not noticeably shorter than other legs; if so,
then fore legs thick and modified for grasping; tarsal claws apical
|
145b. Hind femora extend little if any beyond apex of abdomen;
if middle legs arise close to hind legs than to fore legs, then
fore tarsi have only 1 segment (Fig.A)
(general predators) .... (Hemiptera/Heteroptera) Vellidae <Habits>; <Adults>
|
146a
(144b). Antennae with 4 segments
|
147a
(146a). Absence of pad-like arolium
at base of each tarsal claw, of if present, fore legs are
modified for grasping prey (raptorial)
|
148a
(147a). Fore legs not raptorial;
without a presternal groove
|
148b. Fore legs not raptorial
|
149a
(148a). Proboscis with 3
segments; cuneus absent; ocelli present
|
|