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Hello,

Is this fly a Leopoldius brevirostris?
Date of picture: 2019-07-23
Location: Germany, NRW, 47608 Geldern under the terrace Roof
Size: 11 - 12 mm

Thank you

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Pic 2

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pic 3

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Hello,

is there no Chance for an answer?

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I showed it to David Clements via Facebook and he confirmed it is
Leopoldius brevirostris and added " Very interesting. It has the black facial stripes which are often typical of British specimens, but very unusual in specimens from elsewhere in Europe".

Regards Roger

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Hi fatsemann & Roger,
Males are not really identifiable (excepting L. calceatus), I've done some work on Leopoldius in the lowlands and females are very easy to identify: https://www.resea..._Conopidae
Regards,
Ectemnius

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I showed David your response and he replied ;-
"Ken Smith showed that the male of brevirostris usually has black stripes on the face in British material and that this does not occur in signatus, the only other spp that occurs here. There are consistent differences in the genitalia as well. It is true that males of this genus generally cannot be identified reliably, but until someone shows otherwise we can be reasonably certain that males with black facial stripes, like this specimen, are brevirostris".

So possibly a square go between you in a carpark of your choosing might be the only way to resolve the matter... My reply ;) [kidding] :)

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Hi Roger,

I dont know what you mean by squares in carparks...

However, identifications based on distribution is not a strong basis for an argument. I know that Jens-Hermann Stuke and (I think) David Clements tried to identify male Leopoldius by examining the male terminalia. And failed. I've looked at all the pinned material from the Netherlands and most males are very similar. Very few have a black face mark and L. signatus is very common here. Maybe males can be identified, but then one has to sequence a good number and show that facial colour indeed corresponds to species.

Kind regards,

Ectemnius