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Anyone know why Physiphora alceae has such diffrent abdominal? it looks like the abdominal dorsal had harden and shelter the soften parts below.

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female.

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Beautiful fly and a great picture!

I think that zcuc talked about the distinctive dorsal sclerites and not the oviscape (it is an oviscape, right?). Because the tergites are easier to tell apart than the sternites, it gives the impression that the dorsal side is stronger. Is it only an impression or a fact?

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Seems like she's full of eggs, therefore the tergites and sternites are more separated and you can see the membrane in between, e.g. the soft part.

John