Dove Splay Symplecta hybrida

This was one of two Symplecta that came to light in a harvested rye field. The first looked like, and proved to be, Symplecta sticticata with which I am now fairly familiar, but I thought this might be another species. The pattern on the legs was different, as was the thorax, and it was a little smaller (wing length 4.5mm). Upon a closer look the genitalia were also different, so I keyed it using the Stubbs BENHS book. It keyed straightforwardly to hybrida and the wing also showed two significant differences from sticticata - there was an extra cross-vein between R₂ and R₃ and vein A₂ was very strongly bent.

Wedged into a crack at the edge of an egg-tray along with a few other things it was tricky to get a good photo in situ. Had I realised quite how bad they were I would have taken a better photo when I got it home.

male Dove Splay Symplecta hybrida showing thorax, wing and genitalia (before and after clearing), Wendling Beck Environment Project (Norfolk, UK), 18th August 2024