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28 August 2007, New Brunswick, Canada. Length: 9mm
Striped thorax = Sarcophagidae ?

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red traffic eyes. >> Sarcophagidae.

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That works even in the New World !
Good to see


Theo

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Thanks Jorge and Theo. Spent the entire morning and early pm "in the field" and managed only to get photos of this fly and a syrphid; very few flies active despite great weather - tabanids the most common.

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Accept traffic lights I see a clearly swollen subscutellum.

In the Neotropics exists a Sarcophagide (Lepidodexia woodorum) with a moderate subscutellum. But this not Lepidodexia.

So this is a picture of a Tachinide. I guess it is a Dexine like Billaea. But I have little experience with nearctic Tachinids.

Liekele

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if it is really a Tachinidae, this clearly cheated very well. another pitfall.
great similarity.. this shows that Tachinidae and Sarcophagidae must be in the same superfamily.
So, red traffic eyes with this appearance of body.. can meaning to be NOT a Sarcophagidae!
Even Sarcophagidae like some Calliphoridae can have subscutellum! To complicate more the things.

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Interesting observation by Liekele.
He might be correct, however, it's difficult to see.
So is it possible to check this specimen on the postscutellum, to be really sure ?

Theo

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Fortunately I collected the specimen. It is confusing: red eyes, racing stripes on thorax, plumose antennae, decent-sized postscutellum, red bum.

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The postscutellum is below the scutellum, so we can't see it unfortunately in the last pic.
But the lateral headshot settles the matter instantly: it's 100 % Dexiini (and therefore Tachinidae) ans thus Liekele is completey right.
Which illustrate that my rule 'New World is different from Old World' dominates over 'Red eyes imply Sarcophagidae'.


Excellent observation, Liekele


Theo

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So please change the title in 'Tachinidae !'


Theo

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I'm totally confused. What is the bulge, beneath the scutellum and above the whitish haltere knob, clearly seen in the last pic?

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Hello,



You too?

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see here

I THINK this is the correct... not sure, though.


1 - subscutellum
2 - postscutellum
3 - scutellum
4 - halter (vestigial wing)



Please, correct me if I got it wrong!

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ANOTHER SCHEME...

If you disagree with something, let me know!

1 - anepisternum 2 - anterior spiracle 3 - scutum 4 - katepisternum
5 - meron 6 - sternites I, II, III, IV (in final of IV terminalia... and genitalia) 7 - tergites I, II, III, IV 8 - anepimeron 9 - proepimeron ?
10 - posterior spiracle

the green zone without number can be the LATEROTERGITE?
more..?

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Wow, that's quite a paint job. All I wondered about was the bit beneath the scutellum

Your effort may be wasted here. I could send you large images of the head, of the thorax, and of the abdomen. These could be coloured and labelled and placed in the Glossary, under the Category Morphology-head, Morphology-thorax, Morphology-Abdomen; with subheadings indicating the fly is a Tachinid.
I will need your e-mail address to send them.
What do you think?

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I still have no sure about the legend.

I think the knowledge has much more power when information is shared! Of course, without maleficent ends.

It was a pleasure to do the paintings. IT was really a pleasure, believe. Yes, I agree entirely with your idea. My email is from gmail account and user is jorgemotalmeida You can see my email in EMAIL button -- http://www.dipter...lookup=320 .

OT: It was a pleasure to photograph today this fabulous animal:
http://www.flickr...811&size=l

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Go Jorge and Tony T! This would be a real asset to the website.

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I misinterpreted the picture, only looked at the magnification and therefore missed the context of the larger picture.

2 is indeed the postscutellum.

Which settles its ID as Tachinidae - Dexiini, as far as there was some doubts left.


Theo

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thanks to all. I assume that my legend has no errors.

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That's a pretty good way to illustrate the various body parts! Well done. I'll have to do something similar for our little project.