Rhagio vertebratus
(Say, 1823)
snipe fly
Rhagio vertebratus is a of in the Rhagionidae. reach up to 8.5 mm in length. The species was originally described by Say in 1823. Walker later described R. intermedius, which was subsequently synonymized with R. vertebratus. It occurs in the eastern Nearctic region.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Rhagio vertebratus: /ˈrædʒi.oʊ vərˈtiːbrətəs/
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Identification
Rhagio vertebratus can be distinguished from the more northern-occurring Promachus vertebratus (a robber fly) by its smaller size and -level characters—snipe flies (Rhagionidae) lack the predatory legs and mystax (beard of bristles) characteristic of robber flies (Asilidae). Within the Rhagio, precise field identification requires examination of wing venation and genitalia; R. vertebratus was previously confused with R. intermedius before their synonymization.
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Distribution
Eastern Nearctic region. Documented from Vermont and other parts of the United States. Specific range boundaries are not well defined in available literature.
Similar Taxa
- Rhagio intermediusPreviously described as a separate but synonymized with R. vertebratus based on taxonomic revision; specimens may be encountered under this name in older literature.
- Promachus vertebratusA robber fly (Asilidae) with similar specific epithet and overlapping geographic range; distinguished by larger size, predatory including legs and mystax, and different abdominal patterning.
More Details
Taxonomic history
Rhagio intermedius Walker was synonymized with R. vertebratus Say in a 1965 revision of eastern Nearctic Rhagio .