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Hi everyone, here is a larva (L : 14-16 mm) from a friend of mine, found alone under a stone in Villeneuve-Loubet (06 ; alt. 70 m, extrême south est of France).


Christoophe thinks it could be a Rhagio larva, what about you?
1a


1b

8/01/2012

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look to me like a Tabanidae larva, and as the anal segment is pretty short it is most likely a member of Haematopota, but not sure though. The fine longitudinal striae on the body is almost unique for tabanidae, but I know of one Muscidae species which has this too. But this isn't a Muscidae. Also I can see lateral (and ventral?) pseudopods here, which are also present in Tabanidae and less distinct in Rhagionidae. Rhagio larva has four small anal lobes and I can't see them here.
Did you collect it? and if so, can I have it?

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Thanks for your reply.

Here is his answer:

He lost the specimen but found an other one this afternoon, a bit smaller, in the same area.
And he found it complicate to send it to you and think to be easier to rear it.
I guess his thinking would be right if you need the adult to identify it. But do you?


And if he find a third one it will be for you :)


Hope you'll understand and thanks for the answer.

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Although many species have been described in the larval stage, it is better to try rearing it. Identification of the larva is possible, at least to genus level, but in some genera (e.g. Hybomitra) species level is hard. I have tried only once rearing (terrestrial) Atylotus larvae, but was unsuccesfull. A few years ago I published a key for the dutch tabanid larva in Zeegers & van Haaren. If you like I can send you a PDF. Although it is in Dutch, it maybe of use.

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i would be interested, but none of the two of us can understand Dutch.

How feed the larva?

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most larvae are predatory and feed on soft-bodied organisms, like worms, other diptera-larva, snails and there are reports of feeding on small crustaceans (in the laboratory). Some species feed also on plant material (saprophagous, detritophagous).