Paul WhitingtonNovember 02, 2024Batch 4

The other five Pergidae subfamilies

Paul WhitingtonNovember 02, 2024Batch 4

Workbook

Note: This is a “work in progress”. Changes may be made as I discover additional relevant information.

Identification of species in other subfamilies in the family Pergidae

There are several subfamilies in the family Pergidae that are not dealt with in other notes pages - Pergulinae, Styracotechyinae, Pteryperginae, Phylacteophaginae and Philomastiginae.

The matrix below shows diagnostic features to aid recognition of each of these subfamilies.

Styracotechyinae

This subfamily contains only one species - Styracotechys dicelysma Benson

Female:
size: small (4mm long)
head: broad head, eye covers most of its length viewed dorsally; brownish-black with mouthparts and clypeus brown
antennae: 14 segments; black with 4 basal segments brown; short, flagellum about half breadth of head; inserted close to hind margin of clypeus; each flagellar segment with small pecten beneath
thorax and abdomen: orange with side lobes of mesonotum, scutellum and abdomen from middle of 4th segment blackish-brown
wings: hyaline; costa yellow; stigma and rest of venation brown
legs: yellow, except for blackish-brown hind tibiae and tarsi; with long preapical tibial spurs on middle and hind legs; apical tibial spurs exceptionally long, in hind legs longer than length of following 3 tarsal segments together

Male:
not yet formally described but Schmidt et al (2006) show a photo displaying following features -
antennae: 14 segments; blackish-brown; bipectinate and exceptionally long
thorax and abdomen: blackish-brown
legs: coxae, brown and white in all legs; femora, brownish-black, with apex white in fore and mid legs and base white in hind legs; tibiae and tarsi, white in fore and mid legs, blackish-brown in hind legs

female head dorsal view - Benson (1935) Fig. 9

female antenna - Benson (1935), Fig. 9

female hind leg - Benson (1935), Fig. 9

female - Schmidt et al (2006) fig. 11

male - Schmidt et al (2006) fig. 10

see also iNaturalist observation of female by Greg Tasney

The remaining subfamilies - Pergulinae, Pteryperginae, Phylacteophaginae and Philomastiginae - all have more than one species. The matrices below are designed to aid identification of their genera and species.

Click on each matrix to download a pdf version. Images from authoritative sources of selected species follow as a further aid.

Philomastiginae

Philomastix macleaii = Philomastix glabra

P. macleaii female - Naumann (1998) fig.62

P. glabra female fig.4, male antenna fig.5 - Froggatt (1907)

P. macleaii antennae female (27), male (28, 29) - Naumann (1998)

P. macleaii male - Naumann (1998) fig.63

P. macleaii female - Westwood (1880) Pl.35, Fig.2

P. macleaii forewing - Naumann (1998) fig.47

Pteryperginae

P. bifasciata female - Brullé 1846 Pl.46, Fig.1

P. galla female - Stefan Schmidt

P. galla larva - Schmidt (2002) Fig. 7

Pergulinae

Phylacteophaginae

This is a workbook page … a part of our website where we record the observations and references used in making species identifications. The notes will not necessarily be complete. They are a record for our own use, but we are happy to share this information with others.

Paul Whitington