 Litophasia hyalipennis
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| jeremyr |
Posted on 01-08-2013 22:25
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 Member Location: Posts: 577 Joined: 18.05.12 |
I though this stubby little 4mm fly must be a Phorid, but I noticed the wing venation seemed the same as a small Phasia fly. It has no subscutellum though, and bristles at the end of the abdomen, with adpressed bristles/hairs on the rest. Is there a muscid perhaps that that looks like this, or Phorid after all? many thanks, Jeremy NOTE: final verdict was Litophasia hyalipennis Edited by jeremyr on 29-11-2013 02:05 |
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| jeremyr |
Posted on 01-08-2013 22:26
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Member Location: Posts: 577 Joined: 18.05.12 |
2nd image |
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| jeremyr |
Posted on 01-08-2013 22:27
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Member Location: Posts: 577 Joined: 18.05.12 |
specimen pic 1
Edited by jeremyr on 01-08-2013 22:32 |
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| jeremyr |
Posted on 01-08-2013 22:28
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Member Location: Posts: 577 Joined: 18.05.12 |
specimen pic 2 |
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| jeremyr |
Posted on 01-08-2013 22:29
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Member Location: Posts: 577 Joined: 18.05.12 |
specimen pic 3 |
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| ChrisR |
Posted on 02-08-2013 19:30
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 Administrator Location: Posts: 7699 Joined: 12.07.04 |
Perhaps a Catharosia pygmaea without much wing pigment? Is the wing pigmented at all?
Manager of the UK Species Inventory in the Angela Marmont Centre for UK Biodiversity at the Natural History Museum, London. |
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| Zeegers |
Posted on 04-08-2013 17:09
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Member Location: Posts: 18446 Joined: 21.07.04 |
Yes, looks like Catharosia. Check whether the calypter is darkened. Theo |
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| jeremyr |
Posted on 07-08-2013 20:49
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Member Location: Posts: 577 Joined: 18.05.12 |
I wasn't expecting that as I've been specifically looking out for Catharosia as it's recorded in a survey pdf from 2004: http://api.ning.com/files/B5Iib5SuD64Lfko44rERJ3c-KehgkVI9GSBspqL5N9aB21-UC4BsubiXS5gqt0Wl1qQuS10ClyedKOUhhxHwvGcp1XCpy5A5/HackneyMarshesSurvey2004.pdf I've been basically looking for a funesta with dark wing edges. Now you mention pigment the wing does seem to have a slightly dusky front half with some slight dark smudge-streaks either side of R1, but nothing like the pictures I've been looking at from the survey (p. 36), which even seems to show a pale hind femur? The calypters are very dark indeed I'm trying to get a list of the few tachs without a subscutellum. Catharosia then is one? cheers, Jeremy |
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| Zeegers |
Posted on 09-08-2013 20:16
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Member Location: Posts: 18446 Joined: 21.07.04 |
Yes ! Tschorsnig & Herting (1994) give an excellent introduction key to troublesome Tachinidae (though in German). Legs can be either black or reddish in C. pygmaea, very confusing ! Theo |
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| ChrisR |
Posted on 09-08-2013 20:26
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Administrator Location: Posts: 7699 Joined: 12.07.04 |
Jeremy - in the UK I am pretty sure that the only tachinids without a well-rounded subscutellum are just Catharosia and Litophasia  Both are pretty rare and are basically, small black phasiines with petiolate median veins, so they stand out quite well As Theo said, leg colour is a bit variable - as is wing shading. Would be nice to have the record for the recording scheme - will you post it to iRecord or could you pass me the details?
Edited by ChrisR on 09-08-2013 20:28 Manager of the UK Species Inventory in the Angela Marmont Centre for UK Biodiversity at the Natural History Museum, London. |
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| jeremyr |
Posted on 10-08-2013 05:36
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Member Location: Posts: 577 Joined: 18.05.12 |
Hi Chris, I got a second one on Thursday (8th) from the same location, a tiny patch of resurgent Hogweed. Under the 'scope the wing looked slightly darker, but no bristles on the end of the abdomen (sort of apparent in this image). Otherwise the same wings-folded compact stubby appearance and busy manner If you're sure then you don't need to see specimens, the first one is 31/07/13 TQ370861 Hackney Marshes There's about 40 native black Poplars here (P. nigra var. betulifolia) which cover everything with a thick layer of 'artificial snow', plus other hybrid Poplars, if that means anything. Perhaps the host has something to do with those species Do you think the second fly is the same, despite the smoother abdomen? I've several more images I can crop & add if needed |
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| ChrisR |
Posted on 10-08-2013 17:46
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Administrator Location: Posts: 7699 Joined: 12.07.04 |
Hi Jeremy, I'm always keen to obtain more UK specimens of unusual species like this, if you'd be happy to donate them. The key makes a lot of use of the shading on the wing so if your population is less well shaded then I really need to see that and revise the keys. I am pretty confident that this is also a C.pygmaea - thanks for the data
Manager of the UK Species Inventory in the Angela Marmont Centre for UK Biodiversity at the Natural History Museum, London. |
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| jeremyr |
Posted on 15-01-2014 12:38
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Member Location: Posts: 577 Joined: 18.05.12 |
the final verdict on these specimens was Litophasia - no subscutellum. I think the host is unknown |
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but don't see the image in the post.