Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Stratiomyidae - Chloromyia formosa (male)

Posted by digitalg on 14-08-2006 10:05
#1

I'm risking this family not so much about the looks of the fly but also for its behaviour.
Usually sunbathing in low grass or even in the ground (that's why I was not able to get a lateral view) with closed wings.
9-10mm long, Portugal center, crop field, 2003/05/01

Edited by digitalg on 14-08-2006 14:35

Posted by digitalg on 14-08-2006 10:07
#2

Another of the same species, the day after.
This openwing display is very rare on these flies, so I decided to take another upper view.

Posted by paqui on 14-08-2006 10:40
#3

Chloromyia maybe

Posted by Susan R Walter on 14-08-2006 12:27
#4

Chloromyia formosa for sure - male.

Metallic, hairy all over eyes, thorax and abdomen, abdomen widening at the rear end to be wider than the top and the thorax.

Posted by digitalg on 15-08-2006 16:19
#5

Thank you both :)

Posted by Susan R Walter on 17-08-2006 13:08
#6

Tony's comments on the C speciosa thread made me return to this one. I happily identified this as C formosa partly on the grounds that Fauna Europaea lists C speciosa as absent from Portugal. It is clearly present in Spain though, and in France. Is Fauna Europaea wrong? If it isn't, is it common that species are absent from Portugal but occur in Spain, or vice versa?

Having said that, from what I can see in the photos, I think the hind tarsi are dark enough to qualify as C formosa. The wings are tinted, but I find that the C formosa here in Essex, especially this year, generally have tinted wings. Unfortunately can't tell on these photos what colour the hair above the antennae really is.

Posted by Paul Beuk on 17-08-2006 13:35
#7

Susan R Walter wrote:
Is Fauna Europaea wrong?

I'd rather say it is incomplete. ;)

Posted by digitalg on 17-08-2006 13:37
#8

These photos have more than 3 years now. This year I didn't have much chance of observing these flies and I have not been really looking for them anyway.
And if C. speciosa exists in Spain, unless it's has been only reported to the very east part of Spain, I don't see a strong reason it should not be also present in Portugal. There's no big obstacles in the way and ... well, sometime ago I sent a few spiders to a friend and one that he IDed should not be on that place, but it was, it just had not been recorded.

That said, what colour should the hair be to make it speciosa or formosa? I might go for a few days in september to that place again and I might pay closer attention to details :)

Posted by Tony Irwin on 17-08-2006 16:15
#9

Hi Armando
I think you're right - these are formosa. Apart from the yellow hind tarsi and the more darkened wings, speciosa is a little larger than formosa, and the hairs on the head are longer and denser and all black (at least in the males - the females have some pale hairs on the vertex, ocellar triangle and posteroventral area - but much less than in formosa).
C. speciosa has been found at Empalme in Spain, which is quite close to Portugal, so I think you will find it soon! :)

Edited by Tony Irwin on 17-08-2006 16:16