Diptera.info :: Identification queries :: Diptera (adults)
 Very Small Fly near Compost, Which Family?
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| Stephen |
Posted on 30-09-2006 15:39
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 Member Location: West Virginia USA Posts: 1322 Joined: 12.04.05 |
This little fly was on the lid of our compost bin. It is a good place to look for flies because of all the irrestible odors. Length 6.5 mm from the front of the face to the rear of the wings. What family? Stephen attached the following image:  [62.94Kb] --Stephen Stephen Cresswell www.americaninsects.net |
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| Stephen |
Posted on 30-09-2006 15:41
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Member Location: West Virginia USA Posts: 1322 Joined: 12.04.05 |
Second image. The fly had a clump of pollen (or something) stuck to his front tarsus.
Stephen attached the following image:  [57.95Kb] --Stephen Stephen Cresswell www.americaninsects.net |
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| Jan Willem |
Posted on 30-09-2006 15:44
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 Member Location: Waalwijk, The Netherlands Posts: 2160 Joined: 24.07.04 |
Drosophilidae? |
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| Stephen |
Posted on 30-09-2006 17:15
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Member Location: West Virginia USA Posts: 1322 Joined: 12.04.05 |
Yes, perhaps Drosophilidae. Looking at some photos just now I also wondered about Lauxaniidae. The eyes especially look similar.
--Stephen Stephen Cresswell www.americaninsects.net |
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| Paul Beuk |
Posted on 30-09-2006 19:21
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 Super Administrator Location: Netherlands Posts: 19403 Joined: 11.05.04 |
No, this certainly is Drosophila. In the Nearctis are several species I do not know and abslolutely could not identify from pictures only. It could be a species related to D. virilis but not to obscura and its relatives: There are no 'sex-combs' (comb-like rows of spines) on the fore taris of this male.
Paul - - - - Paul Beuk on https://diptera.info |
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| Stephen |
Posted on 30-09-2006 22:55
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Member Location: West Virginia USA Posts: 1322 Joined: 12.04.05 |
Jan, Paul, Thank-you! This one is darker than the other Drosophilids I have seen around here and maybe that should be my excuse for not recognizing the family.  I am glad to know now not only the family but the genus. Sex combs? That sounded intriguing but I went through all my Drosophilid photos and didn't see anything that looked like that. I will be watching for them, though! One more question: Is there any obvious way to distinguish a member of Drosophila from the other genera of Drosophilidae? Edited by Stephen on 30-09-2006 22:58 --Stephen Stephen Cresswell www.americaninsects.net |
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| Kahis |
Posted on 01-10-2006 09:24
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 Member Location: Helsinki, Finland Posts: 1999 Joined: 02.09.04 |
Stephen wrote:One more question: Is there any obvious way to distinguish a member of Drosophila from the other genera of Drosophilidae? Not really, unfortunately. Kahis |
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