Key to the species of Tephritis with a pair of isolated apical spots on wing

1. Wing with 2 dark spots on apices of veins R 4+5 and M, both or rarely 1 of the spots isolated from remaining wing pattern and each other........................................................................................... 2

– Wing with dark areas on apices of veins R 4+5 and M connected to each other forming 2 dark rays (“apical fork”, joined basally to remaining dark pattern), or a mushroom–like apical spot joined basally to remaining dark pattern, or an entire crossband covering apices of R 4+5 and M........................................................... other Tephritis species

2. Wing pattern with no large hyaline spot(s) in cell r 2+3 at level of crossvein r-m (at most 1 dot or small spot present). (Figs 1h; 3 2). WL = 3.8. Morocco .......................................................................... T. theryi

– Wing pattern with 1–3 hyaline spots in cell r 2+3 at level of crossvein r-m........................................... 3

3. Wing pattern with single hyaline spot in cell r 2+3 between level of crossveins r-m and dm-m, usually triangular (sometimes additional hyaline dots or small spots proximal and distal of r-m, narrower than half of cell width). WL = 3.5–4.2; AL = 0.9–1 mm. (Figs 2g; 13). In flower heads of Sonchus asper, S. oleraceus, S. arvensis .............................. T. formosa

– Wing pattern with 2–3 large partly merged hyaline spots in cell r 2+3 on level of crossvein r-m (as on figs 1 a–g; 2a–f, h; 3a–h)..................................................................................................... 4

4. Wing with preapical dark area narrow, crossband-like, isolated from remaining wing pattern, narrower than or as wide as hyaline area basal of it. Vein CuA 1 with irregular brown band along basal half of cell cu. Crossvein r-m surrounded by entirely hyaline area. WL = 4.5–5.6 mm; (Figs 1g; 28–30). In flower heads of Onopordum acanthium, O. illiricum ........ T. postica

– Preapical dark area wide, usually fused with remainig wing pattern or at least wider than hyaline area basal of it. Wing pattern much darker and more extensive. Not in Onopordum spp..................................................... 5

5. Pterostigma entirely dark, without hyaline spots (Figs 1 c–d, g–h; 2 a–b; 3 f; 14 c–d; 20 a–d; 26 a–b; 33 a, g–h; 36 a)..... 6

– Pterostigma with 1 or 2 hyaline spots (Figs 1 a–b, e–f; 2 c–h; 3 a–e, g–h; 4 a–b; 5 c–f; 7 a; 8 a; 9 a–d; 11 b–c; 16 a; 17 a–h; 18 a–b; 22 a–e; 24 a; 31 a–b; 35 a; 37 c–f; 40 a–b; e–f)......................................................... 10

6. Posterior half of wing with brown markings separated by irregular hyaline spots and not forming 3 dark crossbands (Figs 1 c–d, 2a–b).............................................................................................. 7

– Posterior half of wing with dark areas forming 3 wide brown crossbands sepatated by 2 entire elongate hyaline indentations from vein R 4+5 to posterior margin of wing forming brown M-shaped mark (Figs 3f, 33a, g–h). In flower heads of Jurinea . Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan .................................................................... T. tridentata

7. Middle of cell dm with very pale brownish- or greyish yellow bars; cell cu with 3 separate pale brown or grey bars (Figs 2 ab). Larger species, WL ♂ ± 4.8, WL ♀ ± 5.3. Oviscape longer: at least as long as tergites 4–6 combined, AL> 2 mm. Associated with Inula ............................................................................................ 8

– Middle of cell dm with dark brown pattern extending from pterostigma into basal half of cell cu and usually into anal cell (Figs 1 c–d). Smaller species, WL ♂ Ĺ 4.8, WL ♀ Ĺ 5.3. Oviscape shorter: at most as long as tergites 3–6 combined, AL<2 mm. Associated with Cousinia thistles............................................................................ 9

8. Wing pattern pale yellowish grey to pale brown, blurry; subbasal hyaline spot in cell r 4+5 subrectangular, not constricted medially (Figs 2b; 20–21). Oviscape as long as 4 posteriormost abdominal tergites. Aculeus <6 × as long as wide, with gradually narrowed tip. WL = 5.1–6.2 mm; AL = 2.1 mm. In flower heads of Inula macrophylla and I. stenocalathia . Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan ................................................. T. kogardtauica

– Wing pattern brown to dark brown on apical half; subbasal hyaline spot in cell r 4+5 constricted medially into pear-, 8-shaped spot or 2 separate spots (Figs 2a; 36a, f). Oviscape as long as abdomen. Aculeus> 6 × as long as wide, with truncated tip (Figs 36 b–c, g–h). WL = 5.8–6.9 mm; AL = 2.75 mm. In flower heads of Inula helenium . Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Moldova, Romania, Russia (North Caucasus), Turkey, Ukraine ............................................... T. valida

9. Oviscape yellow to orange-yellow, at most as long as abdominal tergites 3–6 combined; aculeus <4.5 (3.9–4.1) times as long as wide and sharply tapering to its apex, approximately as long as costal cell (1.3> AL/C2> 0.9); abdominal tergites 1–3 of males usually widely orange-yellow (Figs 1c; 1 4–1 5). Southern Kazakhstan, southern Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan. WL = 4.2–5.3; AL = 1.4 mm .............................................................. T. ghissarica

– Oviscape reddish brown to black, at least as long as abdominal tergites 4–6 combined; aculeus>5 (5.2–5.5) × as long as wide, gradually tapering to the tip and conspicuosly longer than costal cell (1.67> AL/C2> 1.2); abdominal tergites of males usually entrely black. WL = 4.2–5.3; AL = 1.8 mm (Figs 1d; 2 6–2 7). Kyrgyzstan ............................... T. kyrghyzica

10. Anal lobe with dark pattern (Figs 3 a, c–e, g–h)............................................................ 11

– Anal lobe hyaline, at most anal cell with 1 dark spot (Figs 1 a–b, e, f; 2 c–f, h; 3 b, f).............................. 17

11. Pterostigma with 2 hyaline dots (Fig. 3a, e)............................................................... 12

– Pterostigma with 1 hyaline dot (Figs 3 c–d, g–h)........................................................... 13

12. Abdominal tergites white setulose, without black setulae on disc; aculeus tip with deep incision (Fig. 35). WL = 4.3–4.8 mm. In flower heads of Leontodon tenuiflorus, L. incanus, L. crispus ......................................... T. truncata

– Abdominal tergites black setulose, only some marginal setae white; aculeus tip rounded (Fig. 3e). WL = 3.9–4.4 mm. In flower heads of Hieracium spp. Europe, Caucasus, Northern Iran, North Africa. T. ruralis (aberrant individuals only, less than 1% of specimens)

13. Abdominal tergites black setulose, only marginal setae sometimes white. Aculeus tip with no significant incision (Fig. 4d). 14

– Abdominal tergites white setulose, without black setulae on disc. Aculeus tip shallowly incised (Figs 7c, 8c)............ 16

14. Posterior orbital and posterior notopleural setae black. Aculeus tip without incision. In flower heads and stem galls on peduncles of Arnica and Doronicum spp. Europe (North; Pyrenees, Alps, Carpathians, Balkans).............................................................................. T. arnicae (aberrant individuals only, less than 5% of specimens)

– Posterior orbital and posterior notopleural setae white. Other characters variable................................... 15

15. Crossvein r-m surrounded by large hyaline bars fused to the hyaline spots anterior and posterior of it (Figs 3 c–d; 4). WL = 4.0– 4.7 mm; AL = 1.05–1.20 mm. In flower heads of Doronicum . Armenia, Iran ................................ T. arsenii

– Crossvein r-m surrounded by 4 isolated hyaline spots (rarely, at most 2 of them fused with each other, as on Fig. 3e). WL = 3.9–4.4 mm. In flower heads of Hieracium spp. Europe, Caucasus, Northern Iran, North Africa........................................................................... T. ruralis (aberrant individuals only, less than 5% of specimens)

16. ♂: Phallus preglans with spines (Figs 3h, 7f). ♀: Oviscape mostly yellowish to reddish brown. In flower heads of Crepis conyzifolia, C. sibirica . Europe, Asian Russia (West Siberia), Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan (Figs 3h, 7)........... T. conyzifoliae

– ♂: Phallus preglans bare, without spines. ♀: Oviscape dark brown to black, rarely yellowish brown laterally. In flower heads of Crepis biennis, C. pyrenaica . Europe (Figs 3g, 8)..................................................... T. crepidis