Leopoldius

Leopoldius coronatus, female (From Fliegen der Palaearktischen Region)
Leopoldius coronatus (from Kröber, 1925)

 

Introduction

Leopoldius are yellow on black Conopids, which are easily mistaken for a Conops on first sight. Their snout is short, however, and L. signatus appears in September when Conops is gone. Adults visit flowes. The key follows Kröber (1925) and De Bree, Smit and Mortelmans (2014).

Key

Most European species are included. Missing are Leopoldius anatolii Zimini . The frons coloration of L. anatolii is crucial.

1.a. Snout distinctly shorter than the head, fleshy; antennae: 3rd segment bare -> 2

1.b. Snout about as long as the head, stiff by chitin; antennae: 3rd segment dorsally with small bristles; coxae black; frons browhish yellow with black markings. 10-14 mm. D. -> Leopoldius (Abrachyglossum) capitatum Loew

2.a. Scutellum yellow; femora yellow or yellow with a black patch covering less than 1/3rd of the femur; front border of wing more or less hyaline. Female: theka yellow; at least coxa 1 yellow -> 3

2.b. Scutellum black; femora yellow with a large black patch or ring, dorsally covering 1/2 of the length or more (femora may be almost black); front border of wing strongly blackened; all coxae black; abdomen shining, with black hairs. Female: theka black, clearly protruding in side view. 10-11 mm. B, D, central Europe. -> Leopoldius calceatum Rondani

Jizz: Looks like Conops strigatus on first sight, but snout short.


Leopoldius calceatum

3.a. Frons with a broad yellow stripe from eye to eye, which is as yellow as the other yellow parts of the head, sharply bordered with the black parts. Only females can be identified. -> 4

3.b. Frons black, if yellow is present above antennal implant, it is darker than the other yellow parts of the head. -> 6

Theka L. diadematusTheka L. valvatusTheca L. coronatus


Females, theca at the ventral side of the body. From left to right (or top to bottom on small screens): L. diadematus and L. valvatus with a small theka and L. coronatus with a wide theca. After De Bree et al. (2014).

4.a. Female: in ventral view, theca narrow, about half the abdominal width (figure above) -> 5

4.b. Female: in ventral view, theca as wide as the abdomen, with only a few bristles in the middle (figure above), compare to L. signatus as the only other Leopoldius with wide, yellow theca). Male and female (approximate): Frons: yellow stripe smaller than black stripe, front border of black stripe straight. 12-13 mm. NL, B, D. -> Leopoldius coronatus Rondani

5.a. Female: abdomen from below: theca uniformly filled with bristles, leaving only the base free, anal segment rounded and about as long as wide; abdomen in side view: theca hardly protruding. Males and females (approximate): frons: yellow stripe as wide as black one, front border of black stripe with two yellow incisions. 12-14 mm. D. -> Leopoldius diadematum Rondani

5.b. Female: abdomen from below: theca with a dense circular bristlefield in the tip half, anal segment elongated and almost twice as long as wide; abdomen in side view: theca protruding for about 1/3rd of the abdominal height.  12 mm. NL, D, central and southwest Europe -> Leopoldius valvatus Kröber (= Leopoldius cabrilsensis Carles-Tolra, see Stuke et al, 2010)

6.a. Snout blackish; tergite 3 and 4: yellow bands without incisions, tergite 2: yellow band with one incision. Female: theca elongate, about half the width of the abdomen in ventral view with the side margins bent inwards. 10-12 mm. NL, B, D. -> Leopoldius brevirostris Germar (= Leopoldius macrus Seguy, see Clements (2000))

Note: A colour form has large black patches on the side of the face, in front of the eyes.

6.b. Snout yellowish; tergite 3 and 4: yellow bands with one (males) to three (females) incisions, tergite 2 with one incision. Female: theca wide, about as wide as the abdomen in ventral view, with a dense britle field in the top half. 10-11 mm. NL, B, D. -> Leopoldius signatus Wied. in Meigen

Jizz: in late summer visiting flowering Hedera.


theca L. brevirostris
Theca of L.eopoldius brevirostris.
Leopoldius signatus, man, achterlijf
Leopoldius signatus, female, abdomen (from Kröber, 1925)


 

Clements, D. K. 2000. Leopoldius macrus (Séguy): a synonym of L. brevirostris (Germar) (Dipt., Conopidae).Entomologist's Monthly Magazine 136: 87-89.
De Bree E., Smit J., and Mortelmans J. 2014. Blaaskopvliegen van het genus Leopoldius in de Benelux (Diptera: Conopidae). Nederlandse Faunistische Mededelingen 43: 55-66. Leiden.
Kröber O. 1925. Conopidae. Fliegen der Palaearctischen Region. Stuttgart. 
Stuke J-H., Saure C. and Pennards G. 2010. Leopoldius valvatus, een nieuwe blaaskopvlieg voor Nederland en Duitsland (Diptera: Conopidae). Nederlandse Faunistische Mededelingen 33: 9-10. Leiden.

 

Last updated 15.2.2004