Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Sphaerophoria scripta

Posted by Liliane D on 27-10-2018 19:50
#1
Hello,
On October 6, 2018 in the south of France on ivy.
I don't know if a photo of the genitalia of a male Sphaerophoria is enough to determine the species?
Thank you for your help
Edited by Liliane D on 28-10-2018 09:16

Posted by Liliane D on 27-10-2018 19:51
#2
Another

Posted by Sundew on 27-10-2018 23:32
#3
Sphaerophoria is very difficult... In the book "Britain's Hoverflies" by Ball & Morris 2015 the male genitalia of three frequent species are pictured (see screenshot), but I cannot decide which one is the most matching. In the males of the most frequent species S. scripta the abdomen is longer than the wings and, in a resting fly, protrudes beyond the wing tips. If this character is not cleary seen, I do not dare a guess.
Regards, Sundew

Posted by Juergen Peters on 28-10-2018 08:27
#4
Hello,

doesn't the rule apply any more, that if the wings overtop the abdomen in a male, it is S. scripta? This is clearly the case here.

Posted by Liliane D on 28-10-2018 09:15
#5
Thank you very much,

As I had a good photo in vivo, I wanted to know if it was enough, but I now know that it is not precise enough.

I really like that there's another identification rule. Here and in my other pictures, the abdomen is much longer than the wings. If the rule is sufficient, it can be called Sphaerophoria scripta.