Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Tachinidae fly.?
Posted by jorgemotalmeida on 06-08-2006 15:20
#1
Taken on 29th July near Malaga - Spain
Posted by Zeegers on 06-08-2006 17:59
#2
It's a Stevenia in the small family of Rhinophoridae, close to Tachinidae.
Difficult to see, though.
Theo Zeegers
Posted by jorgemotalmeida on 06-08-2006 21:13
#3
Zeegers wrote:
It's a Stevenia in the small family of Rhinophoridae, close to Tachinidae.
Difficult to see, though.
Theo Zeegers
very close, indeed! Very similar. What are the main differences we can see in image to say that is Rhinophoridae and not Tachinidae?
Rhinophoridae flies are parasitoid like Tachinidae?
Posted by Zeegers on 07-08-2006 10:54
#4
Well, it is complicated.
The simple truth is as follows:
Rhinophoridae are parasitoids of Isopoda
Tachinidae are parasitoids of virtually all other arthropoda, but never of Isopoda.
In most cases (but not all), Rhinophoridae differ from Tachinidae by the shape of the calyptrae: those are small and divergent from the abdomen in Rhinophoridae and large and closely alligned with the abdomen in Tachinidae.
The good news is that there are less than 10 genera of Rhinophoridae, it is a small family. In most cases, one first recognized the genus and then remembers the family.
As in this case: the topcel in the wing has a very long petiole. The face seems to have large bristles. This suffices for the genus: Stevenia.
If you are familiar with the calyptra-feature, you can see it in the picture, though I agree that it is difficult to see on this photo.
Oh, finally, Rhinophoridae are always small, never larger than say 8 m m.
Theo
Posted by jorgemotalmeida on 07-08-2006 17:49
#5
Zeegers wrote:
Well, it is complicated.
The simple truth is as follows:
Rhinophoridae are parasitoids of Isopoda
Tachinidae are parasitoids of virtually all other arthropoda, but never of Isopoda.
In most cases (but not all), Rhinophoridae differ from Tachinidae by the shape of the calyptrae: those are small and divergent from the abdomen in Rhinophoridae and large and closely alligned with the abdomen in Tachinidae.
The good news is that there are less than 10 genera of Rhinophoridae, it is a small family. In most cases, one first recognized the genus and then remembers the family.
As in this case: the topcel in the wing has a very long petiole. The face seems to have large bristles. This suffices for the genus: Stevenia.
If you are familiar with the calyptra-feature, you can see it in the picture, though I agree that it is difficult to see on this photo.
Oh, finally, Rhinophoridae are always small, never larger than say 8 m m.
Theo
Can Tachinidae have larvas in their body, i.e. are they parasited for other tachinidae or other insects? I tell this because today I saw a strange thing:
I saw two white spots that were attached in lateral body of tachinid, not so far of wings. They were below of the wings. it seems like a very tiny mealybugs, but less hairy.
thank you again for the great info.