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Two Calliphorids, observed at the same location
Austria, Scheiblingkirchen, 11th April 2020
The look like Calliphora sp, but have a
fairly straight apical cross vein.

#1

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#2

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but smaller than Calliphora ?

I guess low altitude ?

Thanks

Theo

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Hello Waldgeist,

I've never seen such a deviation from proper wing venation with any Brachycera, so it is not a Calliphora. If you found a proper Calliphora with such an appearance, then it would be a loewi male. We can eliminate alot of Calliphoridae, so if we think about bluish Calliphoridae, then we end up at Melinda gentilis male. Alot of Calliphoridae have golden/pale hairs on the back of the head. I've not seen so many on Melinda but the entire fly is rather bright for a Calliphoridae. Meantime, the plant blade seems as it should measure about 10mm(?). M. gentilis will be between 6-7mm generally, thus smaller than the width of the plant blade. Visible features include a preapical on f2, posterior bristles on t2, black basicosta, 3 ac, 3 dc, 1+3 ia.

Best wishes,
John

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The calypter is not darkened, at least not in the second photo.
So it is either a Melinda or an alpine Calliphora, I think.
My thoughts are Melinda as well....


Theo

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Thank you, that makes things clear.
At the same spot (muddy forest road in afternoon sun) I've observed also a few Cslliphora vomitoria. They looks very similar, but wing venation was different.

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Yes, a bit smaller than Calliphora, but that that much.

Altitude is 450m.

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I think it is the same species as in my thread https://diptera.i..._id=102660. Here the bristles on T3 and T4 look long.