Species Micropeza stigmatica

Micropeza stigmatica van der Wulp, 1897

A predominantly tawny to reddish species with: two black bands on each femur; pale arista; and characteristic markings on the thorax.

A detailed description by Cresson (1938) appears here (under Neriocephalus stigmaticus).

From the 1972 reference by Merritt & James(1):

"This species differs from all others [in Micropeza] in having two distinct black rings on each femur, one disto-median and one sub-apical. The characteristic brown markings of the thorax (fig. 39) and the shape of the claspers (fig.40) will also aid in identification."

(But note "See Also" below.)

AZ, NM, KS, TX, s. to Argentina(1). Now recorded from CA in this post.

Although the illustration in Fig. 17 of Table 9 from "Biologia Centrali-Americana: Insecta. Diptera. Vol 2 (1883-1903)" shows substantial black on the abdomen and thorax...the description in that work states males have abdomen varying from "testaceous or rufous with yellow hind margins", to "nearly black with white margins". Moreover, the description of the synonym Neriocephalus stigmaticus in Cresson's 1938 treatment of the genus for taxa north of Mexico states this species is recognized by its "reddish color, without any blackish markings except on the halteres and legs". So the black on the the abdomen and thorax in Fig. 17 are not typical of M. stigmatica in our area.

Prior to the 1993 introduction of of the (non-native) Eurasian M. corrigiolata in far Eastern Canada, the only species in our area having black disto-median and sub-apical bands on its femora was M. stigmatica.