Thread subject: Diptera.info :: High altitiude Sepsidae

Posted by Nikita Vikhrev on 27-05-2006 19:05
#1

Prehistory.
In 1987 Adrian Pont discribed new genus of Sepsidae - Susanomira caucasica (was found near Elbrus mount). Few years later Andrey Ozerov also found this speciec in another Caucas point and show that Susanomira lives at min alt 1600m, at cow dung.
I decided that:
1. Susanomira has to be easily isolated in different mountan systems.
2. The Turkey is the best place to look for - I know some good roads in Turkey with passpoints above 1600m.
So, this trip I find Susanomira.
The main problem - cow dung, sheep or goat - in mass, cow - rare.
Finaly I found some. On it some black Sepsis sp. and this yellow Sepsida. Susanomira has black point on wings too. It seems to me that yellow fly looks not as normal Sepsis - 2 rows ac, hairy thorax, general impression.
I ask it because I havn't microscop with me, but I have yet possibility to search in some more places.
So, please, wath do you think, is it Sepsis or not? (I can't say is strong seta on cx2 or not, my test it isn't as easy to find it even under microscop).

Posted by Paul Beuk on 27-05-2006 20:11
#2

According to the Contributions to a Manual of Palaearctic Diptera, Susanomira has no black spots in the wing...

Posted by Kahis on 27-05-2006 21:01
#3

Pont & Meier 2002 (= Fauna Ent. Scand. Sepsidae) shows a strong dark shadow around the tip on R4+5 for S. caucasica.

I do believe that this fly belongs to Sepsis (I hope I'm wrong - Nikita I hope you caught some for later identification). Leafing through the book mentioned above I found Sepsis pseudomonostigma Ursu to be the closest match. This species should have an all-black thorax but color is not a good character in Sepsidae.

Edited by Kahis on 27-05-2006 21:02

Posted by Nikita Vikhrev on 27-05-2006 21:48
#4

Thank you very much for your quick replies.
1. Several flies collected.
2. As my expirience shows, few hope you are wrong...
Nikita

Posted by Dmitry Gavryushin on 27-05-2006 22:39
#5

Chins up, I hope your Susanomira's lurking somewhere to be captured!

Posted by Jan Willem on 28-05-2006 10:17
#6

Hi,

In Pont & Meier I read "Hind tibia without submedian setae" for Sepsis pseudomonostigma. Nikita's specimens (see first picture) seem to have submedian setae.

Jan Willem

Posted by Kahis on 28-05-2006 11:29
#7

So it has. My bad. Any better ideas?;)

Posted by Jan Willem on 28-05-2006 11:36
#8

Hi Kahis,

Better ideas? Yes! Let's ask Dr. Pont:)!

Jan Willem

Posted by Nikita Vikhrev on 28-05-2006 14:26
#9

I asked Andrey Ozerov to visit us tomorrow, when hi come back Moscow.
It has to help!
Nikita

Posted by Jan Willem on 28-05-2006 17:09
#10

Hi Nikita,

I indeed asked Dr. Pont who already sent an answer (I will send you his complete answer later). According to him it is probably Sepsis thoracica, but it is impossible to be certain without properly studying the specimen. Since you collected several specimens, studying them properly is just what you should do!

Jan Willem

Posted by Nikita Vikhrev on 28-05-2006 21:08
#11

Thank you Jan and thank Dr. Pont, of course.
By the way, 'most probably Sepsis thoracica' was also reply of Andrey Ozerov, to whom I shortly discribe the fly by mobile phone SMS letter.
Tomorrow I'll try one more mountan place.
Sorry, Jan, but so far no one Opomyzidae, as far as I can see using x5 lens.
Nikita

Posted by pierred on 28-05-2006 22:18
#12

Nikita,

It's very funny to see your writing from Turkey with those i without dot.

Posted by Nikita Vikhrev on 29-05-2006 17:47
#13

Yes Pierre, normal 'i' is available too, but in unpropre place. So one out of two: whether I think what I write, or I think about real i position. After several hesitation I choised first possibility.
Nikita

Posted by Nikita Vikhrev on 05-06-2006 14:16
#14

Today I showed all collected turkish Sepsidae material to Andrey Ozerov.
Sepsis thoracica appears the most common species. It is a pleasure if it is yellowish-grey with hiary scutum, so easily distinguish. Often it looks as "usual" Sepsis, but with sternopleuras dusted only in upper part. I add one more image of non-yellow S. thoracica.
All good photos from this trip - S. thoracica.
Also I collected:
S. biflexuosa
S. fulgens (swarm of thousands near flowing water at 2100m)
S. luteipes
S. nigripes - the more interesting, first registred in Turkey.
Nikita