Key to the British Dasytidae
For more information on this family click HERE.
1.
Entirely bright metallic green or blue, pronotum strongly and densely punctured, large species; 5-7mm.
Black, with or without a metallic lustre, pronotum finely punctured.
2.
Form very elongate, elytral apices pointed, body dull grey to green. Pronotum without outstanding pubescence. 4.5-5.5mm.
Form much less elongate, elytral apices continuously rounded. Pronotum with outstanding pubescence.
3.
Strongly and evenly convex, head much narrower than pronotum. Dorsal surface without recumbent pubescence below the outstanding setae. Terminal tarsomere with 2 long narrow lobes at the base of the claws.
Much less convex, head narrower than pronotum. Dorsal surface with two layers of pubescence. Terminal tarsomere simple. 3.5-6.0mm.
4.
Lateral elytral margins finely denticulate, especially towards the apices. Dorsal surface shiny dark brown with a weak bronze lustre. 4.0-5.0mm.
Lateral elytral margins without teeth, may be finely sinuate but not denticulate. Dorsal surface metallic bronze, green or blue. 4.0-4.8mm.
5.
Entirely black. Pronotum transverse, densely and coarsely punctured, and impressed laterally towards the base. Antennomeres 5-10 transverse in both sexes.
Black with a greenish or bluish reflection (sometimes weak). Pronotum quadrate or very nearly so, smoothly convex; without a lateral impression towards the base. Antennomeres 5-10 elongate in male, quadrate in female. (Females have smaller eyes, shorter antennae and broader elytra.)
6.
Dorsal surface metallic blue or, rarely, greenish. Elytral pubescence of 2 types; longer erect setae and shorter semi-erect setae that are, in places, difficult to separate. 5.0-6.0mm (Male antennae longer; more than half the body length.)
Dorsal surface black with a (sometimes faint) green or blue metallic sheen. Elytral pubescence of 2 clearly separate types; pale recumbent hairs and longer dark setae. 3.5-5.0mm.
7.
Pronotal disc densely punctured, in the male with a smooth and shiny median longitudinal line. Basal antennomere black. (Body black with a lead-grey lustre, legs entirely black or with pale tibiae, second antennomere pale. Eyes smaller in the male.)
Pronotal disc with scattered punctures in both sexes. (Eyes larger in the male.)
8.
Pronotum about as broad as the base of the elytra. Recumbent pubescence on elytra pale silvery grey. Legs entirely black or with tibiae dark brown. 4.0-5.2mm. (Male with eyes much larger than in the female and with antennal segments more elongate.)
Pronotum much narrower at base than base of elytra. Recumbent pubescence on elytra weakly golden-metallic. Tibiae, tarsi and usually pro-femora at least partly pale.3.5-4.6mm. (Male with eyes not so much larger compared with the female.)