Thread subject: Diptera.info :: 7 flies on a frog

Posted by guldsmed on 19-10-2024 17:46
#1

28th of June 2024 I took a picture of a Pelophylax perezi (Iberian Water Frog) sitting i Río Majaceite near El Bosque in Andalucia, Spain. After taking the picture I noticed several dipterans sitting on the frog. Can they be identified? And what are they doing there? Feeding on skin exudates?

P.S. Yes there are only 5 flies in picture here, but the uncut version has 7 ;-)

Edited by guldsmed on 19-10-2024 18:55

Posted by eklans on 19-10-2024 18:53
#2

I think they could be females Atrichops crassipes.
For Northwest Europe: Zeegers, Schulten (2022): Families of Flies with Three Pulvilli

Posted by guldsmed on 19-10-2024 19:01
#3

Hi Eric

Thx for the interesting suggestion! I see that "Females of the genus are all known to feed on frogs (Nagatomi 1964)" - do you know in what manner (I do not have access to that paper)? Blood or skin exudates?

Posted by John Carr on 19-10-2024 19:39
#4

Adult Atrichops feed on the blood of frogs.

Posted by guldsmed on 20-10-2024 06:30
#5

Thx a lot John!