Tachinid Morphology

by James E. O'Hara

Below are several illustrations from McAlpine et al. (1981) showing the morphological terms used for features of the wing and body of higher flies, including Tachinidae.

Wing of Paralucilia wheeleri (Hough) (Calliphoridae)

Dorsal and lateral views of body of Exorista larvarum (Linnaeus) (Tachinidae)


abd st, abdominal sternite abd tg, abdominal tergite acr s, acrostichal seta adv sut, adventitious suture a kepst s, anterior katepisternal seta anatg, anatergite anepm, anepimeron anepst, anepisternum anepst s, anepisternal seta a pprn s, anterior postpronotal seta ap sctl s, apical scutellar seta ar, arista b pprn s, basal postpronotal seta b sctl s, basal scutellar seta comp eye, compound eye cx, coxa cxpl str, coxopleural streak dc s, dorsocentral seta ds s, discal seta ds sctl s, discal scutellar seta flgm, flagellomere frorb plt, fronto-orbital plate fr s, frontal seta fr vit, frontal vitta gn dil, genal dilation gn grv, genal groove gr amp, greater ampulla	hlt, halter ial s, intra-alar seta ipal s, intrapostalar seta i vt s, inner vertical seta kepm, katepimeron kepst, katepisternum ktg, katatergite l m s, lateral marginal seta lun, lunule m cx prg, mid coxal prong m m s, median marginal seta mr, meron npl, notopleuron npl s, notopleural seta oc s, ocellar seta oc tr, ocellar triangle orb plt, orbital plate o vt s, outer vertical seta pafc, parafacial pal cal, postalar callus pal s, postalar seta pal wall, postalar wall pavt s, paravertical seta pc orb s, proclinate orbital seta ped, pedicel plp, palpus pocl s, postocular setae	poc s, postocellar seta pprn, postpronotum pprn lb, postpronotal lobe prepm, proepimeron prepm s, proepimeral seta prepst, proepisternum prepst s, proepisternal seta presut acr s, presutural acrostichal seta presut area, presutural area of scutum p spal s, posterior supra-alar seta p spr, posterior spiracle psut acr s, postsutural acrostichal seta psut sct, postsutural scutum rc orb s, reclinate orbital seta sbap sctl s, subapical scutellar seta sbsctl, subscutellum sbvb s, subvibrissal seta sct, scutum sctl, scutellum sctsctl sut, scutoscutellar suture spal area, supra-alar area spal s, supra-alar seta spvb s, supravibrissal seta trn sut, transverse suture vb, vibrissa wg b, wing base

Reference:

McAlpine, J.F. 1981. Morphology and terminology - adults. Pp. 9-63. In McAlpine, J.F., et al. (eds.), Manual of Nearctic Diptera. Volume 1. Agriculture Canada Monograph 28.

First published on the Internet in 1998
Last update: 20 December 2012
J.E. O'Hara