Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Egle ciliata (was: Alpine Muscoidea 2011-VII-17)
#1
On a rock in the alpine tundra of Mount Washington, New Hampshire, USA, July 17, 2011.
(Click for larger or view
on Flickr)
(Click for larger or view
on Flickr)
(Title changed from Muscidae following comments)
#2
Female Anthomyiidae. Good luck!
#3
It has 4 pdcs and a protruding lip. Here that would suggest Egle, but ...
#4
According to Huckett's 1965 key the only two regional species that normally have 4 pdcs are
Egle muscaria (Fabricius) and
E. brevicornis (Zetterstedt), both of which are also found in northern Europe. Does this look like either? The key distinguishes females by shape of head, and I don't have a lateral shot.
Confusing matters, a comment in a forum thread says those two are synonyms but the itis.gov list includes only the later name
brevicornis.
#5
It really doesn't look right for Egle to me (whence the 'but'
.
E. brevicornis and
E. ciliata are the two here with 4 pdcs, and they are hairier in the acrostichal department (apart from anything else). I suspect we may be in Muscidae after all (but bear in mind I'm no expert!). Maybe Stephane can help.
#6
Nice crossed bristles on the frontalia and an abundance of bristles on the tibiae are why I suggested Anthomyiidae.
#7
Yes
Egle. Should be
Egle cilita (=
muscaria).
#8
Thank you.
I recall a comment saying that Muscidae often spread wings and Anthomyiidae usually hold wings overlapping. With that and the four postsutural dorsocentrals this one wanted to confuse me.
How can you rule out
Egle brevicornis? The key I have seen (Huckett 1965) relies on head shape, head longer than high or not longer than high, to distinguish females of
ciliata (as
muscaria) and
brevicornis.
Also, how did
E. muscaria (Fabricius 1775) come to be considered a junior synonym of
E. ciliata (Walker 1849)?
#9
The
Egle brevicornis species group is much hairier and has 0-1 ad bristles on t2. Could this be an Azeliini like
Drymeia?
