Diptera.info

Posted by conopid on 09-07-2006 00:37

I have keyed this out as Leucostoma simplex, which seems very unlikely, given its status in the UK. Although I have used Belshaw to confirm it is a Tachinid, I am wondering if I have gone wrong and it is actually a Rhinophorid. The photo of the subscutellum below shows a brown area between the scutellum and subscutellum, but this appears to be a flat area on the top part of the subscutellum, rather than a joining membrane.

This is a small fly, about 5mm in length. It has very large eyes.

Any help gratefully received (one for Chris Raper me-thinks).

Posted by ChrisR on 09-07-2006 00:40

Looks like Phasia pusilla (Tachinidae) - does it have black haltares and black hairs on the gena? :)

Posted by Nikita Vikhrev on 09-07-2006 00:40

Anyway Chris will correct my, so why not say what I think:
may be Phasia (barbifrons/obesa)?

Posted by conopid on 09-07-2006 00:42

Blimey Chris, that was very quick!

I will just go and check now. Do they call this live workshopping?

Posted by conopid on 09-07-2006 00:47

Yes, it has black halteres and black hairs on the gena.

Thanks for help Chris, I will be able to see where I have gone wrong in the key now. - I love this web site!

For info. Fly caught today at Venus Pool, Cound, Shropshire at GR SJ553062

Posted by ChrisR on 09-07-2006 00:54

As the firing squad says - "we aim to please" ;)

If you're in doubt about rhinophorids - try my page here http://tachinidae.../rhino.php

Edited by ChrisR on 09-07-2006 00:55

Posted by conopid on 09-07-2006 01:01

Hi Chris,
I did in fact refer to a printed copy of your page. I just wanted to be sure it was not a Rhinophorid, because the brown colour threw me into doubt.

I went wrong at Couplet 95 - presence of distinct bristles on abdomen. To my untrained eye all the hairs look like bristles! At least they would certainly pass as bristles in Syrphidae, my area of "expertise".

I have plenty more Tachinids awaiting ID. It's going to be along hard winter of staring down a microscope!

Cheers
Nigel

Posted by ChrisR on 09-07-2006 01:04

Actually, I made the same mistake a while back - some Phasia have very large hairs on T4 and T5 and I managed to make a Phasia into a Graphogaster . This was years ago though, in my youth - but I only just noticed the mistake!! So, now I have to write up the correction ... but fortunately it turns out that the specimen is Phasia barbifrons and it is (as far as I know) the earliest known record of this species in Britain!! ;)