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Posted by Juergen Peters on 16-04-2011 20:07

Hello!

Last Monday at sloe hedge (northwest Germany), about 10 mm. Is this Helophilus pendulus?

Edited by Juergen Peters on 17-04-2011 21:50

Posted by PIERRE MILLE on 17-04-2011 15:15

Hello Peters,

The ideal is that you present a picture of the thorax and one to see if.

Best wishes

Posted by PIERRE MILLE on 17-04-2011 15:18

I wrote too soon I'm sorry to see the longitudinal stripes on the thorax and the grounds on tergites

Posted by Juergen Peters on 17-04-2011 18:30

Hello, Pierre!

PIERRE MILLE wrote:
The ideal is that you present a picture of the thorax and one to see if.

Thanks, but the animals do not always give me a chance tp get one... ;). I was happy to get two pictures at all from my first Helophilus this year. Below the second one.

Posted by John Carr on 17-04-2011 19:14

I think this is not Helophilus but another Eristalini. In North America Helophilus always has a broad stigma (vs. narrow in Parhelophilus and Lejops), and I haven't heard that this character is any different in Europe.

Posted by Juergen Peters on 17-04-2011 19:37

Hello, John!

John Carr wrote:
I think this is not Helophilus but another Eristalini. In North America Helophilus always has a broad stigma (vs. narrow in Parhelophilus and Lejops), and I haven't heard that this character is any different in Europe.

Hmm... I had one Parhelophilus here many years ago, but 99,99% of those flies are Helophilus (and 99% of them either pendulus or trivittatus). I would be glad, if this would be not the case here...

Edited by Juergen Peters on 17-04-2011 19:39

Posted by Juergen Peters on 17-04-2011 21:50

Gerard Pennards wrote:
Helophilus pendulus it is.....

Thank you, Gerard!

Posted by John Carr on 18-04-2011 01:39

Manual of Nearctic Diptera distinguishes Helophilus from similar genera with

Pterostigma elongate, not simulating a crossvein, at most slightly darkened basally. Abdomen oval, with large orange markings on at least tergite 2... Helophilus Meigen

Pterostigma very short, simulating a crossvein. Abdomen oval to slender, variable in color... 111

Couplet 111 et seq. distinguish Parhelophilus and Lejops.

This fly has a crossvein-like pterostigma and would not key to Helophilus in MND. What character is used to distinguish European Eristalini with striped thorax?