Diptera.info :: Identification queries :: Diptera (adults)
 Tachinidae - male or female?
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| conopid |
Posted on 17-11-2006 18:55
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 Member Location: United Kingdom Posts: 1039 Joined: 02.07.04 |
An elementary question. Is this a female or a male Tachinidae? Usually I am confident when sexing Tachinids, but this one I am not so sure about. It is Solieria species and I am hoping it's a male, so that I can ID it. Any comments gratefuly received. conopid attached the following image:  [81.92Kb] Edited by conopid on 18-11-2006 11:07 Nigel Jones, Shrewsbury, United Kingdom |
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| conopid |
Posted on 18-11-2006 11:09
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Member Location: United Kingdom Posts: 1039 Joined: 02.07.04 |
Anyone any comment?
Nigel Jones, Shrewsbury, United Kingdom |
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| ChrisR |
Posted on 18-11-2006 11:46
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 Super Administrator Location: Reading, England Posts: 7703 Joined: 12.07.04 |
Well, if the photo on the right is the terminalia then it looks like it has a hard, rounded capsule in there, like a male should have. So that would make my best guess a male Solieria, which should be "do-able"... if not particularly confidently  One of those genera where a decent series is required and sometimes you're just unlucky and get one that doesn't work very well in the key |
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| conopid |
Posted on 18-11-2006 12:48
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Member Location: United Kingdom Posts: 1039 Joined: 02.07.04 |
Hi Chris, yes indeed that's the terminalia. I had suspected it was a male, but it just didn't look as positively male as in other Tachs I have. The tarsal claws on this one are about .75 the length of the last tarsal segment, but the femora are clearly not yellow at the base ventrally. Like you say, probably best done as part of a series. At least I got the genus right!
Nigel Jones, Shrewsbury, United Kingdom |
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| ChrisR |
Posted on 18-11-2006 18:41
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Super Administrator Location: Reading, England Posts: 7703 Joined: 12.07.04 |
Yes, well done - the colour + the scutellar bristles is quite distinctive. In my experience where you get one you'll get a lot - they tend to occur in large numbers around Ragworts or umbels.  |
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| Zeegers |
Posted on 20-11-2006 16:40
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Member Location: Soest, NL Posts: 19026 Joined: 21.07.04 |
Hi Nigel males of Solieria pacifica is a real crossdresser: * claws short * vertex broad * proclinate orbital setae present. All female features ! So your confusion is quite understandable. Theo Zeegers |
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