Diptera.info :: Identification queries :: Diptera (adults)
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 Are the Lucilia flies recognisable by a picture?
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| Isidro |
Posted on 03-08-2007 12:04
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Member Location: Zaragoza, Spain Posts: 2070 Joined: 26.04.07 |
Can be this one identified knowing that only are three species in the zone, L. caesar, L. cuprina and L. sericata? I always was corious about the difference in colour being ones bright green and others coppery-greeen as this one. The name L. cuprina is very attractive for the coppery ones. Is the colour a possible identification character, or all the three species can have any colour? Is the genitalia the only character that can differenciate the species? This male was yesterday at Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, in my garden.   Thanks  |
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| Kahis |
Posted on 03-08-2007 13:38
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 Member Location: Helsinki, Finland Posts: 1999 Joined: 02.09.04 |
The color changes with the age of the fly. The attractive green colour results from microscopic ridges on the surface of the fly. These ridges wear down with time and the reflected colour changes accordingly.
Kahis |
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| Isidro |
Posted on 03-08-2007 14:14
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Member Location: Zaragoza, Spain Posts: 2070 Joined: 26.04.07 |
Then, I suppose that the species is impossible to say  Or not?Thanks by the info Kahis! |
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| Susan R Walter |
Posted on 03-08-2007 18:28
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 Member Location: Touraine du Sud, central France Posts: 1802 Joined: 14.01.06 |
If what you say about the species present in the area is correct, then it has to be L caesar, with 2 post sutural acrostichal bristles. L sericata and L cuprina both have 3 and are extremely difficult to tell apart. The middle pair of ps acr on L cuprina tend to be smaller and weaker.
Susan |
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| Isidro |
Posted on 04-08-2007 05:55
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Member Location: Zaragoza, Spain Posts: 2070 Joined: 26.04.07 |
Thanks Susan!!! You are the best!!!!  I think that was impossible!!!!! |
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| ChrisR |
Posted on 04-08-2007 10:51
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 Administrator Location: Reading, England Posts: 7699 Joined: 12.07.04 |
Just had a look on Fauna Europaea and it lists 7 species of Lucilia present in mainland Spain. Also, I'm certainly no expert on Lucilia, and for some reason I can't find my copy of van Emden, but in Steve Falk's test key to the British Lucilia it doesn't use the number of acrostichals except when seperating silvarum from bufonivora and then it says "usually", which suggests that the number of acrostichals is a bit variable. So, I'm not saying it isn't caesar ... just that the situation might not be clear enough to give a positive ID  |
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| Susan R Walter |
Posted on 04-08-2007 18:50
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Member Location: Touraine du Sud, central France Posts: 1802 Joined: 14.01.06 |
Sorry, Isidro - I should have been clearer that my opening 'If' was heavily weighted. I was dubious too that there were only 3 possible species, but didn't know how big an area you were refering to. Chris - I've gone into a decline at your news about acrostichals I don't know Falk's key - is it freely available?
Susan |
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| Isidro |
Posted on 04-08-2007 21:26
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Member Location: Zaragoza, Spain Posts: 2070 Joined: 26.04.07 |
These three species for the dry middle Ebro-valley where I live. A small region in the Iberian Peninsula. |
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| ChrisR |
Posted on 04-08-2007 23:11
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Administrator Location: Reading, England Posts: 7699 Joined: 12.07.04 |
Well, I'm not saying Susan is wrong - it could be caesar but I think (from all I have heard and seen) that this genus is too tricky to give an "identification" from a few photos - it might be safer to say "it looks like caesar" or "it might be caesar" Also, it is quite dangerous to do an identification by starting with a list of species that you know are in your area because distributions are changing all the time and it might be a different species of Lucilia, previously unrecorded from that area. |
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| Isidro |
Posted on 05-08-2007 06:58
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Member Location: Zaragoza, Spain Posts: 2070 Joined: 26.04.07 |
Well, weeelll... I will put Lucilia cf. caesar. OK? Result: Lucilia flies are anywhere recognisable by pictures |
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