Gallery Links
Users Online
· Guests Online: 25

· Members Online: 0

· Total Members: 5,084
· Newest Member: Mahesh
Forum Threads
Theme Switcher
Switch to:
Last Seen Users
· Carnifex00:17:31
· ViktorNebenf...01:07:46
· DedeLab01:09:20
· DPD01:12:38
· Auratus02:08:43
· evdb02:14:22
· Volker02:53:13
· JWV02:53:58
· ebbek03:53:36
· Woodmen04:28:03
Latest Photo Additions
View Thread
Diptera.info :: Identification queries :: Diptera (adults)
Who is here? 1 guest(s)
 Print Thread
Empididae - Empis (woodi/rufiventris?) East Europe
JCobain
#1 Print Post
Posted on 23-01-2023 14:27
Member

Location:
Posts: 300
Joined: 19.08.20

Hi everyone,
i am having some trouble identifying these Empis flies. I have many males that resemble these photos below. I am using Hackston 2019 Empis species key, where these flies come out as woodi or rufiventris due to the following points:

Axillary excision in wing acute, thorax with darker stripes Along the lines of the bristles (and not in between), only dark hairs, discal wing veins reach wing margin, protosternum hairy only on the sides, male eyes touching, halteres brown/yellow, thorax with only dark hairs, not shining black and side lamellae of male genitalia not pointed (ruling out pennipes)

From this point i have been using the extension of the penis to distinguish between woodi if its short (all photos except the last 2) and rufiventris if its long (last 2 pictures, of terminalia only)

One issue is, that Hackston's key mentions that on the scutellum, woodi should have only 2 bristles, if there's 4 it should be nigripes. There are 4 bristles on scutellum (crossed apicals and marginals) But these flies don't align with the features for nigripes I think?

Is it perhaps that all of these are rufiventris with different levels of penis extension or does anyone have a different idea on these?

many thanks for any help!!!
Jared
JCobain attached the following image:


[272.42Kb]
Edited by JCobain on 23-01-2023 14:30
 
JCobain
#2 Print Post
Posted on 23-01-2023 14:28
Member

Location:
Posts: 300
Joined: 19.08.20

wing view (woodi?)
JCobain attached the following image:


[277.14Kb]
 
JCobain
#3 Print Post
Posted on 23-01-2023 14:28
Member

Location:
Posts: 300
Joined: 19.08.20

woodi?
JCobain attached the following image:


[277.09Kb]
 
JCobain
#4 Print Post
Posted on 23-01-2023 14:28
Member

Location:
Posts: 300
Joined: 19.08.20

terminalia view (rufiventris?)
JCobain attached the following image:


[296.62Kb]
 
JCobain
#5 Print Post
Posted on 26-01-2023 11:42
Member

Location:
Posts: 300
Joined: 19.08.20

terminalia view 2 (rufiventris?)
JCobain attached the following image:


[219.25Kb]
 
JCobain
#6 Print Post
Posted on 26-01-2023 15:12
Member

Location:
Posts: 300
Joined: 19.08.20

I have been looking at many females collected at the same time and place today and I have the same issue, all the features lead me to woodi in this key, all except the 4 scutellar bristles instead of what should be only 2. Can this be a variation, as the key I am using is for British species and these were collected in Eastern Europe? Does anyone have an idea? Its driving me crazy!

Or are there any good European Empis keys around that I've not managed to find yet? Shock
 
Jump to Forum:
Similar Threads
Thread Forum Replies Last Post
Empididae: Paraiteaphila italica Diptera (adults) 6 08-02-2026 18:00
Empididae --> Rhamphomyia sp. Diptera (adults) 5 01-02-2026 22:24
Empis tessellata? Diptera (adults) 3 17-01-2026 16:28
Empis tesselata? Diptera (adults) 5 29-12-2025 10:29
Received: The Flat-Footed Flies:(Diptera: Opetiidae and Platypezidae) of Europe What should I use? 1 07-12-2025 05:50
Date and time
19 February 2026 12:29
Login
Username

Password



Not a member yet?
Click here to register.

Forgotten your password?
Request a new one here.
Temporary email?
Due to fact this site has functionality making use of your email address, any registration using a temporary email address will be rejected.

Paul
Donate
Please, help to make
Diptera.info
possible and enable
further improvements!
Latest Articles
Syrph the Net
Those who want to have access to the Syrph the Net database need to sign the
License Agreement -
Click to Download


Public files of Syrph the Net can be downloaded HERE

Last updated: 25.08.2011
Shoutbox
You must login to post a message.

18.02.26 09:33
Anyone have scans of the Genus Semaranga in: 1)Kanmiya, K. (1983) A systematic study of the Japanese Chloropidae (Diptera). 2) Andersson, H. (1977 Taxonomic and Phylogenetic studies on Chloropid

10.02.26 19:36
Hello Moumoule !

07.01.26 15:52
Pipunculidae from Mongolia! I am looking for specialist who is committed to ID these. There will be a lot of material coming from my expeditions.

06.12.25 21:37
He last posted here in April, identifying some Chloropidae.

04.12.25 20:02
Dr Michael von Tschirnhaus, a leading expert on Chloropidae and Agromyzidae, died on 16 September 2025 at the age of 86. He will be greatly missed by the international community. R.I.P.

03.12.25 12:46
Anyone has the scan of "Harkness, R. D.; Ismay, J. W. 1976: A new species of Trachysiphonella (Dipt., Chloropidae) from Greece, associated with an ant Cataglyphis bicolor (F.) (Hym., Formicidae)

01.12.25 22:29
I will try to fix the messages this month. We have to make some other configuration changes before software goes out of support at end of year.

29.11.25 21:57
I would prefer not to receive any more messages from diptera.info signed by Paul... (Thread reply notification)... Could they be signed by ‘The diptera.info team’?

19.11.25 12:31
It is with deepest sadness in my heart that I announce that on Saturday, November 15, one of the great minds of world dipterology, prof. Rudolf Rozkošny, left us forever. Please remember him with a

15.08.25 10:15
For those specialists not active on Facebook, I just ask to consider to join our group on FB. Please, be aware that it is not necessary at all to be active on FB outside the diptera group. Actually, n

Render time: 0.70 seconds | 260,579,979 unique visits