---

Hello,

I photographed this fly in Pamplemousses, Mauritius, on April 20th 2024. I think it is a Stomoxys, but is it possible to identify its genus or species from these photos? If I'm not mistaken, 3 species are reported for the Mascarenes, but I wasn't able to find much information on how to tell them apart.

Thank you in advance,
Emanuele

---

Photo 2:

---

Only S. calcitrans is known from Mauritius

---

According to the abstract of this paper Stomoxys nigra is the more common species: https://www.cambr...9CD6441BCC

---

The pattern on the abdomen does not match either Stomoxys calcitrans or S. niger. From the key to the Muscidae of Madagascar (Couri et al. 2006):

Frons slightly widening from the vertex towards the lunula; abdomen with dark spots; width of male frons at its narrowest part about ⅓ or more of eye-length; width of female frons at vertex about one-half of eye-length .... S. calcitrans
Frons sub-parallel in posterior half; abdoment with dark transverse bands; width of male frons at narrowest point about ¼ or less of eye-length; width of female frons less than one-half of eye-length ... S. niger

https://researcha...57_n29.pdf

Figures of abdomens of both species are on the last page.