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This is a very nice fly from Wetland Kerkini 25 May to 1 June 2008, caught in a marsh at 1,485 ASL.

The following observations have not helped me much, but may be of use to others.

Anal vein long, almost to wing margin
CUP and CUA2 both present
DM-CU absent
BM-CU very close to R-M such that there are no cross veins in the distal 3/4 of the wing.
P-Bristles present and diverging
2 x F- Bristles present, the lower curving inwards, the upper curving out and backwards.
3 Dorsocentrals on scutum, strangely the first is doubled on the left side, see photo.

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The aforementioned lassoo

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An agromyzid for Milos.

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Phytomyza cf. ranunculi, the "lassoo" (=distiphallus) seems to be broken, should be much longer coiled round several times.

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Thanks. Ah, I thought it must be an Agromyzid, but I was deluded into thinking that all the F-bristles should be incurving, and thus it could not be. We live and learn. I will use the word distiphallus in future David, I promise.

Gordon

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yes this is Phytomyza ranunculi (Schrank, 1803)

Milos

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Thanks Milos, what is intersting to me is the doubling of the 1st left side dorsocentral, presumably a result of a coding error somewhere. Do you, or does anybody, know if this sort of thing is regularly noted in diptera?

Gordon

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Well we had one just recently with Henry's Calliphora vicina http://www.dipter...d_id=16603. Theo reckons 1 in 1000, so not uncommon.

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Thanks Susan.

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I some families such obvious asymmetry it very common. Chamaepsila (Psilidae) is one genus where quite a few specimens have more dorsocentral setae on one side. "Happily" all Chamaepsila keys I've seen use the number of dc setae as a key characters, which results in endless hours of fun*.






*offer not valid for sane people

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Dear Kahis,
Your avatar is most appropriate to your comments in this thread, amazing.

Gordon