Chrysopilus key

Chrysopilus are slender build snipe flies, with long, thin legs. They normally sit on leaves in rather moist conditions.
1.a. Wing with a dark patch, extending from the pterostigma -> 2

1.b. Wing hyaline except for the pterostigma (if a vague brown tint around the pterostigma, then larger than 10 mm) -> 5

2.a. Wing with a dark patch extending from the pterostigma, very tip hyaline -> 3

2.b. Wing darkened in tip third; abdomen yellowish brown with yellow hairs; thoracic dorsum blackish. 5-7.5 mm. -> Chrysopilus pullus
male

3.a. Male: the swelling on the face has the form of a pear, it is higher than wide, the distance from the upper border of the swelling and the antennal implant is shorter than the heigth of the swelling; abdomen yellow. Female: abdomen dark cinnamon. Both sexes: head grey with the swelling cinnamon. 6.5-8.5 mm. -> Chrysopilus nubeculus
male

3.b. Male: the swelling on the face round, as high as wide, the distance from the upper border to the antennal implant is longer than the height of the swelling. Female: abdomen largely yellow -> 4

4.a. Thorax and abdomen yellow (tip segments sometimes with dark bands); head black; antenna: 1st and 2nd segment yellow, 3rd segment black, 3rd segment as wide as the 2nd; wing: dark patch weakly developed. 6.5-7 mm. -> Chrysopilus laetus

4.b. Abdomen yellow brown, thoracic dorsum and sides darkened; antenna: 3rd antennal segment wider than the 2nd. 6-8 mm. -> Chrysopilus luteolus

5.a. Wing: pterostigma not large, yellow to dark; length less than 10 mm -> 6

5.b. Wing: pterostigma outstanding large and dark, surrounded with a vague brown tint; femora blackish. Female: abdomen with silver bands. Large: 10-14 mm. -> Chrysopilus erythrophthalmus

Range: Central Europe. Identification: Van der Goot (1985), Stubbs and Drake (2001), Szilady (1932).

6.a. Wing: pterostigma partly dark brown, well marked in wing -> 7

6.b. Wing: pterostigma yellow brown, vaguely marked -> 9

7.a. Femora dark brown to black. Female: thoracic dorsum grey with 2-3 dark stripes -> 8

7.b. Femora yellow; thoracic dorsum uniformly greyish black. 5-6 mm. -> Chrysopilus aureus

Preferred environment: Moist forest. Adult habitat and habits: In woodlands on leaves. Males are attracted by light and can be found on windows. Flight period: june to august. Range: Western and Central Europe. Identification: Van der Goot (1985), Stubbs and Drake (2001, as asiliformis). Small species, males greyish with long pale legs.

male

8.a. Head: the hairs between the mouth opening and the lower border of the eye black; hind part pale greyish; abdomen: sternites brownish black. Female: thoracic dorsum on the front part with a broad grey stripe containing a small black stripe in its middle. 6.5-8.5 mm. -> Chrysopilus auratus

Preferred environment: Lush open vegetation and at edges of woodlands on moist soils. Adult habitat and habits: Often found walking on leaves. Flight period: end of may to start of august. Range: Western and central Europe. Identification: Van der Goot (1985), Stubbs and Drake (2001) as C. cingulatus. Legs dark. Males blackish with long slender legs and large eyes, females much stouter, brownish with golden hairs.

8.b. Head: the hairs between the mouth opening and the lower border of the eye whitish; hind part of head dark greyish; abdomen: sternites dark greyish. Female: thoracic dorsum on front part with a broad blackish stripe, the dorsum often largely blackish by accompanying black patches. 6-7 mm. -> Chrysopilus splendidus

9.a. Femora brown. 7-10 mm. -> Chrysopilus flaveolus

9.b. Femora black on basal quarter, yellow otherwise; coxa, palpi and antenna blackish. Males: eyes separated on frons; palpi long, almost reaching antennal base. 8-10 mm. -> Chrysopilus helvolus
male

Last updated 27.12.2006