Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Bombylidae, Anastoechus from Rhodes

Posted by piros on 08-10-2018 21:07
#1
I found these flies on Rhodes, near Faliraki, between 12.09.2018 and 14-09.2018. I think they are the same sp. Fauna Europaea lists only A. nitidulus from Rhodes, but I know that sp. fairly well, and and these are different. They have a partly brownish-red scutellum (same dark color as scutum in A. nitidulus), a stripe of white scales along the abdomen (missing in A. nitidulus) and light yellow haltera (brown in the case of A. nitidulus). I think they are females of Anastoechus hyrcanus, partly because they match the desription of that sp. in a Hungarian key, and partly because there is no other likely candidate in the neighbouring mainland Turkey.

Can someone confirm or correct this putative ID?

Thanks for any help or comment in advance!

Greetings,

Henrik
Edited by piros on 09-10-2018 08:33

Posted by piros on 08-10-2018 21:09
#2
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Posted by piros on 08-10-2018 21:13
#3
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Posted by piros on 08-10-2018 21:44
#4
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Posted by piros on 08-10-2018 21:53
#5
Finally, this may be a male of the same sp., but I am not sure about this one!
Edited by piros on 08-10-2018 21:53

Posted by piros on 11-10-2018 16:03
#6
Up a bit...

Posted by piros on 15-10-2018 16:53
#7
Another attempt...
Edited by piros on 15-10-2018 16:54

Posted by piros on 19-10-2018 12:17
#8
The last...

Posted by piros on 19-10-2018 12:22
#9
Oops, I think I mixed up the genders of the flies above...

Posted by Piluca_Alvarez on 19-10-2018 17:53
#10
Hi, Henrik Smile

I see you get no answers Sad I can do little with this one but at least it is an answer Smile

I agree it is not nitidulus but I am not so sure about hyrcanus . As far as I know, hyrcanus doesn't have infuscations on some crossveins, which seems rather obvious in your flies, specially in the male. Or at least I never heard about it. Might be possible in Eastern forms, I don't know. If it weren't for that, I think hyrcanus would be a really nice possibility Wink

Sorry I cannot provide more help Sad
Edited by Piluca_Alvarez on 19-10-2018 17:54

Posted by piros on 19-10-2018 21:32
#11
Hi Piluca!
I am grateful for your answer, thank you!
Exactly, the infuscation of crossveins is the only bothering aspect of these flies!! Nevertheless, I literally can't think of anything else than hyrcanus, because the only other sp. in Turkey (apart from A. nitidulus) is A. araxis, which is clearly an eastern species, not known from nearby Turkey. So I assume that the infuscation of crossveins is a trait of either eastern A. hyrcanus, or a specificity of the Rhodian population of that sp.Cool

Again, I greatly appreciate your contribution, it gives me some comfort! Smile

All the best,
Henrik

Posted by piros on 24-09-2023 15:53
#12
Last year I photographed several specimens of this species again in the same area, and I now have a better idea regarding the identity of this sp.: I think it is Anastoechus trisignatus, a species present in the nearby countries.
This new ID is based on a (bad) photo, distinguishing character and distribution in this paper:

https://www.zobodat.at/pdf/DENISIA_0014_0353-0384.pdf