Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Sarcophaga ?
Posted by Eric Steckx on 09-03-2006 19:29
#1
Hi,
Is this fly Sarcophaginae (Sarcophaga ?) or Tachinidae ?
For me identification of this type of "chessboard flies" remains very difficult.
What is your opinion ?
Thanks for your help
Posted by Zeegers on 09-03-2006 20:53
#2
NO, it is easy, you got it right.
Sarcophaga sl. has
* eyes bare
* arista plumose
* eyes traffic-light red.
Hardly, if any, Tachinidae matches this combination.
Posted by Robert Nash on 10-03-2006 10:34
#3
Note the general powerful build, very defined stripes on the thorax and chequer pattern on the abdomen, also the large genital capsule (ii's male). Adding these to Zeegers features excludes all but Sarcophagidae and, I think all genera but Sarcophaga. Nice photos. I like the middle one of leg-cleaning. Never know what you'll pick up on a corpse. Lets hope it wasn't a bird with flu. Robert
Edited by Robert Nash on 10-03-2006 15:34
Posted by Zeegers on 10-03-2006 17:34
#4
The features mentioned by Robert are useful as well.
Just a warning: some Dexiinae - Dexiini (in Tachinidae), like some Billaea, may agree with most of these features. In my experience, the eye colouration is in these cases always much more darker. And very easy to see in the field.
Moreover, Billaea is rare, especially in western Europe. So more or less an academic concern.
Theo Zeegers
Posted by Eric Steckx on 11-03-2006 13:21
#5
Ok ! Thank you Theo and Robert.
It's now clear !