Diptera.info - Discussion Forum: Tachinidae ID => Siphona sp

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Tachinidae ID => Siphona sp
tristram	#1 Posted on 21-04-2012 13:59
Member Location: Reading, UK Posts: 1333 Joined: 27.06.10	Photo taken on 2012-04-21 in Reading, UK. A small Tachinid, only about 4mm long, with long antennae. It was in long grass near willow trees. I only managed one in-focus photo before it flew off. tristram attached the following image: [104.5Kb] Edited by tristram on 07-08-2012 19:05


neprisikiski	#2 Posted on 21-04-2012 15:46
Member Location: Lithuania Posts: 876 Joined: 23.02.09	I think, it is a spring species of Siphona sp., in your area maculata is the most common. Erikas


ChrisR	#3 Posted on 21-04-2012 17:04
Administrator Location: Reading, England Posts: 7699 Joined: 12.07.04	Yes, geniculata would be rare at this time of year - certainly looks like Siphona. Would need a specimen to be sure of anything more Manager of the UK Species Inventory in the Angela Marmont Centre for UK Biodiversity at the Natural History Museum, London.


neprisikiski	#4 Posted on 21-04-2012 22:34
Member Location: Lithuania Posts: 876 Joined: 23.02.09	Yes, male geniculata has shorter antennae and four post-DC in contrast to this specimen. Erikas


ChrisR	#5 Posted on 21-04-2012 23:30
Administrator Location: Reading, England Posts: 7699 Joined: 12.07.04	Pity we can't see the side of the abdomen. They are such a difficult genus that I tend to switch off as soon as I realise that it is a photo of a Siphona! Manager of the UK Species Inventory in the Angela Marmont Centre for UK Biodiversity at the Natural History Museum, London.


tristram	#6 Posted on 22-04-2012 09:35
Member Location: Reading, UK Posts: 1333 Joined: 27.06.10	Thanks Erikas and Chris. Now I look at the pattern on its back, it does remind me of Siphona but I was put off by the large antennae. I was actually going to collect this fly but it took fright when my net sprang open.