Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Tiny fly with two longitudinal white stripes on thorax
Posted by Bruce Williams on 08-10-2011 16:09
#1
Buckinghamshire, England. 7th October.
Please see scale bar for size.
Help with identification appreciated.
Bruce
Edited by Bruce Williams on 10-10-2011 14:33
Posted by blowave on 08-10-2011 16:31
#2
Hi Bruce!
Nostima picta, or another name Philygria picta as someone else has put one in the gallery under that name. Stephane Lebrun identified mine as Nostima picta so which is the current name I'm not sure. (sorry, got wrong identifier but Tony Irwin borrowed the pics)
http://www.dipter...owstart=30
Janet
Edited by blowave on 08-10-2011 16:35
Posted by blowave on 08-10-2011 16:50
#3
Fauna Europaea has is as Nostima picta, it appears Fallen (1813) gave both names!
http://www.faunae...?id=137536
The NBN Gateway has it as Philygria picta but they seem confused about it.
http://data.nbn.o...0100004574
The list here has it as Philygria picta but they are slow to update.
Posted by Bruce Williams on 08-10-2011 21:14
#4
Thanks for your help Janet.
Quite a distinctive little fly - is anything known about its behaviour or life cycle?
Bruce
Posted by Bruce Williams on 09-10-2011 13:24
#6
Thanks for the information and the helpful links Janet.
Interestingly your pdf link states that the white stripes are comprised of dense microtomentum. Clearly it would requires a FAR GREATER magnification to resolve that sort of detail :).
Bruce
Posted by blowave on 09-10-2011 14:36
#7
I checked my photos to see if I could detect the dense microtomentum in the stripes Bruce, the later one I got on 3rd November 09 does show it to some extent!
Posted by Larry Shone on 09-10-2011 15:05
#8
Cool, a fly with go-faster stripes!
Posted by Bruce Williams on 09-10-2011 21:34
#9
Yes I think you're right Janet - interesting to note how far the markings extend.
Must be a GT model Larry :).
Bruce
Edited by Bruce Williams on 09-10-2011 21:35
Posted by Larry Shone on 09-10-2011 21:39
#10
Whats the white object in that last photo, behind one of the legs?
Posted by Bruce Williams on 09-10-2011 21:50
#11
I assume you're referring to blowave's pic - looks like one of the halteres to me (I think you can just make out the one on the other side).
Bruce
Edited by Bruce Williams on 09-10-2011 21:53
Posted by blowave on 09-10-2011 23:13
#12
Yes Bruce, it is interesting how the stripes extend even to the outer edges of the antennae. They also continue down the back of the head, and the lines look to be continuous. It makes me wonder how this happens, or why. Perhaps it's caused in the pupal stage? I can't think of a reason to have them other than some sort of camouflage, shore flies, washed surf on the beach, goodness knows.
Yes Larry the white thing is a haltere, the balancing mechanisms which flies have. The fly is only 1.5mm or less long, barely visible to the eye! I noticed mine while looking for other things on the wall, without a high magnification lens you wouldn't be able to get a shot showing the fly let alone the stripes.