Physocephala pusilla, Meigen, 1804

Stuke, Jens-Hermann, 2016, Taxonomic notes on Western Palaearctic Conopidae (Diptera), Zootaxa 4178 (4), pp. 521-534 : 528-529

P. pusilla ( Meigen, 1804)

Conops pusilla Meigen 1804: 280 ; type-locality: “bei Beaucaire im südlichen Frankreich ”; holotypus ♂ [MNHN]

Diagnosis. Physocephala pusilla is another variable species with several colour morphs that have been described as distinct species, and misidentified in many cases. P. pu s i l l a belongs with Physocephala antiqua , P. chrysorrhoe and P. variegata , to the group of species that have an obvious broad dusted stripe reaching from the mid coxa to the notopleuron, without becoming narrower above. Typical P. pusilla can readily be recognised by the wing pattern: the wing is completely covered with michrotrichia, the subcostal cell sc is dark, and all the veins, including the subcostal Sc, are dark brown to black. Dark winged specimens of P. antiqua with some microtrichia on cell dm can be confused with lighter, larger specimens of P. pusilla colour morph lacera which has a light brown subcostal vein Sc and a slightly paler subcostal cell.

Key to the colour morphs of Physocephala pusilla ( Meigen, 1804)

1 At least hind femora and fore coxa black, and usually legs more or less all black; proboscis black; subcostal vein Sc and radial vein R1 always black to dark brown; head may be more or less darkened, with a black frons or black facial spot; smaller specimens (wing length may be only 3.7 mm)............................................ pusilla , typical colour morph

- Often legs completely orange-brown, fore coxa and hind femur at least orange-brown in most specimens; proboscis (with the exception of the labellum) brown; subcostal vein Sc and radial vein R 1 may be light brown; head always orange-brown; larger species (wing length up to 7.6 mm).................................... pusilla , colour morph lacera ( Meigen, 1824) = P. lacera ( Meigen, 1824) syn. nov.

Conops lacera Meigen 1824: 130 –131; type-locality: “ Oesterreich ”; holotypus of unknown sex [ NMW]

Large, reddish brown specimens previously referred to Physocephala lacera appear obviously distinct from the small black specimens that represent typical Physocephala pusilla . But there are many intermediates available and therefore I interpret P. l acera as a junior synonym of P. pusilla (syn. nov.). This interpretation agrees with Kröber (1925, 1936), who also treated P. l a c er a as a form of P. pusilla , although his interpretation was rejected by later authors including Bankowska (1961, 1979), Chvála (1961), Chvála & Smith (1988) and Zimina (1976, 2000).