Posted by
Sundew on 02-09-2022 03:19
#1
Hi,
Yesterday I took pictures of a small dark Tachinid male with big white calypters that I consider a
Leucostoma. I know these can hardly be identified from photos, but I gave it a try with the key
https://tachinida...igures.pdf. The genus key says it has to be regarded as provisional, but nevertheless I got a match already with the first couplet: "Cheeks covered with hairs" versus "Cheeks bare, the parafrontal hairs reach only slightly below the frontal bristles". Though my picture series is rather poor quality (the
Achillea millefolium inflorescences swayed in the wind, and the fly was fast on them) I would not hesitate to chose the first option, as the cheeks (in other textbooks called parafacialia) seem to be very hairy. In this case I would already have reached a species, namely the rare
L. meridianum. It can be found in "Southern Europe, individuals also in warmer Central Europe" - in this summer Baden-Württemberg was clearly belonging to hot Central Europe! So how likely is my identification? Up to now I knew only
L. simplex, which has bare cheeks. I am very curious to hear your opinion!
Thanks in advance, Sundew
Edited by
Sundew on 06-09-2022 00:01
Posted by
Zeegers on 03-09-2022 15:58
#4
I totally agree, it is one of the hairy-faced Leucostoma’s. L. semibarbata is another option. I am currently not sure how to separate the males. In any case, a spectacular find !
Theo
