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female hybotid collected on a downed and termite-riddled tree trunk in a semi-urban area of Maryland just north of Washington, D.C. April 23, 2020. body length 3.3mm from base of proboscis to tip of ovipositor

This one keys out to Euthyneura using the Manual of the Nearctic Diptera empidid key. The closest I can come using Melander's 1928 (https://www.biodi...5/mode/1up) and 1902 (https://www.biodi...3/mode/1up) keys is Euthyneura bucinator but this fly lacks the "shining black" abdomen that Melander said this species should have, and has the "thorns" near ventral apex of the hind femur that he said this species should lack.

I don't know if it's possible to get this one to species but I'd appreciate confirmation or correction of the genus ID.

Thanks in advance

Regards
Steve

(larger and higher resolution versions of these photos on Flickr starting here: https://www.flick...ateposted/)

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lateral

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ventral

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head

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lateral head after an attempt to soften and rehydrate the specimen and wing

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Genus is correct. I do not know the current knowledge of the genus in the Nearctic, the Paleactic has some straight forward species and and a few that are tricky to identify.

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Thanks Paul!