''Orthonevra pictipennis ''( Loew,1863), the Dusky-veined Mucksucker, is an uncommon species of

syrphid fly Hover flies, also called flower flies or syrphid flies, make up the insect family Syrphidae. As their common name suggests, they are often seen hovering or nectaring at flowers; the adults of many species feed mainly on nectar and pollen, while ...

. It has been observed in North America (see range map). ''O. pictipennis'' shares much of the same range as '' O. pulchella'', '' O. nitida'' and '' O. feei'' (only in New Hampshire). Hoverflies get their names from the ability to remain nearly motionless while in flight. The adults are also known as flower flies, for they are commonly found around and on flowers from which they get both energy-giving

nectar Nectar is a sugar-rich liquid produced by plants in glands called nectaries or nectarines, either within the flowers with which it attracts pollinating animals, or by extrafloral nectaries, which provide a nutrient source to animal mutualists ...

and protein-rich

pollen Pollen is a powdery substance produced by seed plants. It consists of pollen grains (highly reduced microgametophytes), which produce male gametes (sperm cells). Pollen grains have a hard coat made of sporopollenin that protects the gametophyt ...

. Larvae for this genus are of the rat-tailed type. ''O. pictipennis'' larvae have not been described.

Description

upright=1.25, O. pictipennis male For terminology se
Speight key to genera and glossary
;Size Length ;Head The head has a metallic bronze-green color. In females, the frons is wide and noticeably wrinkled, with a slender groove running down the middle. The face is finely wrinkled in both males and females, with the epistoma projecting prominently. Near the eyes, on each side of the base of the antennae, there is a triangular spot that is silvery white. The face is covered in dense white hair. The antennae are reddish and considerably longer than the face, with the third segment not being three times longer than the second segment. The eyes are a solid color, with a horizontal stripe in the middle. In males, the eyes are holoptic ;Thorax: The scutum is moderately shining, finely punctate, with four bronze-purple stripes. The lateral stripes are abbreviated in front, the median ones are behind. The scutal pile is white. The scutellum appears flattened. ;Wings: The wings are grayish with brownish spots on the discal and first posterior cells. The stigma and clouds on the crossveins are dark brown. The fourth vein (M) ends in the third vein before the tip of the second vein. The M₁ vein is either recurrent or perpendicular. The R₄₊₅ cell has a blunt or rectangular apex. The M₂ vein divides the M₁ vein approximately equally. The CuA1 vein extends as a spur on the posterior corner of the discal cell. The r-m crossvein is located at the basal one-third of the discal cell. The halteres are a pale yellowish color ;Legs The legs are a combination of green and black, with the base and tip of the tibiae, as well as the first two joints of the tarsi, being reddish yellow. The middle portion of all the tibiae is black. ;Abdomen The abdomen's disk has a moderate shine, with the edges exhibiting a shiny bronze-green or coppery color.

References

Brachyopini Articles created by Qbugbot Insects described in 1863 Taxa named by Hermann Loew {{Brachyopini-stub