Diptera.info

Posted by jorgemotalmeida on 07-09-2006 22:03

Hi

Today - 7th September 2006 - I found the most spectacular fly I've seen so far, here in Silgueiros - Viseu - PORTUGAL.

It was found near the fruit of Ficus carica, about 7.30 pm. It had open wings all the time, in the position you will see in this photo. It had a beautiful design on the wings. I was in awe when saw this such beautiful fly. Unfortunately the photo is not so good. :( But you can get an idea. ;)

Is it Platystomatidae fly? IF so, which one?

Thanks!

edit: title...

Edited by jorgemotalmeida on 07-09-2006 22:43

Posted by jorgemotalmeida on 07-09-2006 22:24

Tony Irwin wrote:
I think this is Palloptera muliebris (Pallopteridae)

The design on wing is precisely like this Palloptera muliebris!
wHY this cannot be a Platystomatidae fly? Is there any relation between Pallopteridae and Platystomatidae fly? All Platystomatidae flies move their wings when they are above a leaf? This fly doesn?t move the wings like Rivellia for example.

Posted by jorgemotalmeida on 07-09-2006 22:52

Tony Irwin wrote:
I think this is Palloptera muliebris (Pallopteridae)

Just the pic is not convinced me about Palloptera. Isn?t it true that all pallopteridae has a very acute abdomen? not so round like this one...

Posted by Jan Willem on 07-09-2006 22:53

Hi Jorge and Tony,

No doubt about it, this is Palloptera muliebris (or Toxoneura muliebris if you like).
Why can't it be a platostomatid? Well, not visible in this picture, but this fly has a costal break which isn't present in Platystomatidae. This is just to name a simple character.
There are several families with specimens moving their wings like that!

Jan Willem

Posted by jorgemotalmeida on 07-09-2006 23:02

Jan Willem wrote:
Hi Jorge and Tony,

No doubt about it, this is Palloptera muliebris (or Toxoneura muliebris if you like).
Why can't it be a platostomatid? Well, not visible in this picture, but this fly has a costal break which isn't present in Platystomatidae. This is just to name a simple character.
There are several families with specimens moving their wings like that!

Jan Willem

Is Toxoneura synonymia of Palloptera? Right? :)

yes. I saw a few moments ago that Pallopteridae flies are known as flutter flies. :D
But looking at the picture... there must be a way that you could say: "This is not a Platystomatidae fly because in this pic we can see ......"
I want to know why it cannot be a Platystomatidae.. having the data presented on photo.

Thanks! :)

Posted by Tony Irwin on 08-09-2006 00:15

The answer is that I recognised the wing pattern (even at the angle the wings are shown) as being Palloptera muliebris. If it had a dark wing with white spots, I would have much more difficulty saying what family it was. :)
But in Europe, we only have two genera of Platystomatidae - Platystoma and Rivellia, and neither of them look like this. (Look in the gallery for examples.) As Jan says, there are several familes that do the "wing-waving" - Trypetidae, Platysomatidae, Pallopteridae, Sepsidae, etc. so we need to consider all of them when looking at the photo.

Edited by Tony Irwin on 08-09-2006 00:16

Posted by jorgemotalmeida on 08-09-2006 00:30

Tony Irwin wrote:
The answer is that I recognised the wing pattern (even at the angle the wings are shown) as being Palloptera muliebris. If it had a dark wing with white spots, I would have much more difficulty saying what family it was. :)
But in Europe, we only have two genera of Platystomatidae - Platystoma and Rivellia, and neither of them look like this. (Look in the gallery for examples.) As Jan says, there are several familes that do the "wing-waving" - Trypetidae, Platysomatidae, Pallopteridae, Sepsidae, etc. so we need to consider all of them when looking at the photo.

I know Rivellia very well. :D I think some Sepsidae flies mimics ants! Isn?t it true? Anybody knows much more fly families (or some genus) that could mimics ants?