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 [Neomyia cornicina] Bronze Lucilia ?
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| pierred |
Posted on 17-12-2006 10:22
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 Member Location: Posts: 1413 Joined: 21.04.05 |
Hello, A member posted following photos (from Sardinia) on a French site and we all thought about Lucilia, but could a Lucilia get such a bronze colour with the time?  Pietro Niolu : Italie : 31/7/2006 : Villanova Monteleone : 07019 altitude : 550 m. - taille : 8 mm=po= ref=15552  Pietro Niolu : Italie : 31/7/2006 : Villanova Monteleone : 07019 altitude : 550 m. - taille : 8 mm=po= ref=15553 Thanks for any comments. Edited by pierred on 17-12-2006 18:34 Pierre Duhem |
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| Tony Irwin |
Posted on 17-12-2006 11:45
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 Member Location: Posts: 7168 Joined: 19.11.04 |
Hi Pierre As this appears to have only one pair of post-sutural acrostichal bristles, I think it's more likely to be Neomyia cornicina (Muscidae). But the colour change applies to all these metallic green flies, including Lucilia (Calliphoridae) and Gymnocheta (Tachinidae). As the fly gets older, the cuticle changes physically. I'm not certain exactly what the changes are - possibly the chitin layers of the cuticle begin to separate, but the effect is that the colour changes from metallic green to metallic blue or bronze or sometimes a metallic red. That this is an age-related change is evident from the condition of the wings in these old specimens (clearly shown in your top picture). Other flies, such as Bombylius and Pollenia, lose their hair as they age, while in others such as Notiphila, the pubescence can change colour from silver to gold or yellow to brown. It all makes identifying flies a real challenge sometimes! 
Edited by Tony Irwin on 17-12-2006 11:47 Tony ---------- Tony Irwin |
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| pierred |
Posted on 17-12-2006 18:23
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Member Location: Posts: 1413 Joined: 21.04.05 |
Tony, Thanks a lot for your answer. Pierre Duhem |
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but don't see the image in the post.