Bibio leucopterus ( Meigen, 1804 )

Skartveit, John, 2010, The larvae of European Bibioninae (Diptera, Bibionidae), Journal of Natural History 36 (4), pp. 449-485 : 473-474

Bibio leucopterus ( Meigen, 1804) (®gures 75±81)

The larva was described by Bryce (1953).

Brownish white, dull. Body processes short. Total length 16.0± 17.8 mm (n = 3).

Head. Reddish, head capsule width 1.04 ±1.15 mm (n =3). Mouthparts rather worn in the specimens at hand, so exact descriptions of the mouthparts is not possible. Labrum (®gure 75) with two pairs of short setae on transverse carina. Mandible (®gure 76) apparently with four teeth. Maxilla (®gure 77) comb with four indistinct teeth. Prementum (®gure 77) with anterior corners and mesal process indistinct. Antenna diameter ca 50 m m. Stemmata absent in the specimens examined.

Body. Processes quite short. Dorsal process rows with processes equally long and evenly spaced. Post-spiracular processes as long as 2.5 times spiracle diameter, situated approximately four spiracle diameters posterior to spiracle. Processes on ninth abdominal segment situated at segment hind border. Spiracles protruding slightly more than spiracle diameter from body surface. Cuticle: scales rather small and well spaced. Prothorax (®gure 78) scales on anterior part oval, minute, with one to three spines, rather closely packed, near the second process row larger scales irregular with two to six spines, smaller scales irregularly transverse, unarmed or with a single peg-like spine. Metathorax (®gure 79) larger scales irregular-roundish with one to three spines, smaller scales irregular, unarmed. First abdominal segment: larger scales irregular, most with one but some with up to three spines, smaller scales minute, round, indistinct. Fourth abdominal segment (®gure 80) larger scales irregular, outline indistinct, with one slender spine, smaller scales round, minute, indistinct. Ninth abdominal segment (®gure 81) scales rounded, with one to three short, blunt, peg-like spines. Venter of ninth abdominal segment with scales very variable in size, carrying slender spines, including some with very long, seta-like spines. Spines in lateral view rather long and strongly curved.

Material. England, Hampshire, Wickham , 20 April 1963. In soil on rotting log 1 larva ( BMNH) ; England, Lancashire, Whalley , 15 March 1959, A. Brindle leg. Ex. soil and debris under tree trunk, 2 larvae ( BMNH) .

Distribution. Europe north to Southern Sweden ( Karle, 1994).