Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Heleomyzidae: 4 pictures

Posted by John Bratton on 04-01-2012 12:21
#1

I collected this indoors (kitchen window) on 28 December 2011, Winteringham, eastern England, SE926223. It keys to Tephrochlaena halterata but I'm not certain that is correct. Gorodkov (1988) says the body is grey, which clearly doesn't apply to the abdomen of this specimen. Does anyone recognise it, please?

It has two strong bristles at the bottom of the postoculars in the picture, but the other side of the head has only one.

The house is about half a mile from the Humber estuary, but quite high up the estuary, so I'm not sure it would count as coastal, which is where halterata is supposed to be found.

John Bratton

Posted by John Bratton on 04-01-2012 12:22
#2

One dorsocentral in front of the suture and three behind.

Posted by John Bratton on 04-01-2012 12:23
#3

Not sure if it is male.

Posted by John Bratton on 04-01-2012 12:24
#4

Head

Posted by Andrzej on 04-01-2012 14:07
#5

Tephrochlaena oraria Collin 1943. See comments at:
http://www.faunaeur.org/full_results.php?id=61776
All the best in the New Year !
Andrzej

Posted by andrewsi on 06-02-2023 20:06
#6

Bit late to the party, but I would say that this is likely to be a Tephrochlamys with pre-sutural DCs. It seems that, whatever the species actually is, this is a not uncommon inland heteromyzine in the UK.

Posted by Andrzej on 06-02-2023 23:32
#7

Really, you are right. It's not a Tephrochlaena species! The modern key to Heteromyzine genera was published in Zootaxa 4820 (1): 165–176, by me and Giuseppe Lo Giudice in 2020... Wink

Posted by andrewsi on 07-02-2023 20:01
#8

Andrzej wrote:
Really, you are right. It's not a Tephrochlaena species! The modern key to Heteromyzine genera was published in Zootaxa 4820 (1): 165–176, by me and Giuseppe Lo Giudice in 2020... Wink


Any idea about the ID of this presumed Tephrochlamys, Andrzej? I have several specimens of it from across the UK and the features seem consistent. It comes to carrion, and baited traps and gets swept generally in woodland. Seems quite common, whatever it is!

Ian