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Hi

This fly was found between the weeds left by the sea in a beach of the Ebro delta in Tarragona, Spain at the end of April 2007.

Is this a Heleomyzid?

Thanks in advance

Miquel

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Second chance for this fly

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Hmm!. Unfortunately it is not a Heleomyzid fly. Three orbitals, postverticals divergent, spines on fore and midtibiae.
Andrzej

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Hi Miquel,
it is Anthomyiidae, genus Fucellia, most probably F.tergina
Nikita

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Thanks a lot Nikita. I have seen your pictures of Fucellia in the gallery, which coincided in habitat! Interestingly, so this is a genus of seashore seaweed flies.

Even though this might not be accurate, Fauna Europaea only lists two species for Spanish mainland: maritima and tergita. I only have the old Seguy's Faune de France as literature and tergita seems not to be included. How can tergita from maritima be distinguished?

Miquel

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It isn't easy even having this female in hand, look:
- Eyes smaller, parafacial and gena therefore wider, gena 0.6?0.7 times the height of an eye. Some of the pv hairs of f3 longer than width of t3. Several hairs present between the two rows of presutural acrostichal setae - F.maritima Haliday
? Eyes larger, parafacial and gena therefore narrower, genae, 0.5?0.65 times the height of an eye. None of the pv hairs of f3 longer than width of t3. No hairs present between the two rows of presutural acrostichal setae - F.tergina Zetterstedt
(According Michael Ackland key)