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Hi everyone,

Here comes my usual question on Tachinidae.

I caught this specimen two weeks ago (no pictures in vivo unfortunatly, it appear my only pictures of specimens in vivo are always Voria ruralis or Phorocera sp. :| )

I am not convinced by my identification on this specimen (using Tschornig&Herting's):
- not hairs on cheeks
-few hairs on R4+5
-apical hairs on scutellum crossed, not uprised
-3 st
-majors hairs on humerus in line
-pre alar longer than notopreral
-propleuron bare
-hairs above vibrissa reach more than 2/3
-no Ad preapical bristlet on T1

I end on Pales genus, and with thoses black legs, it should be P perigrina.
Does it appear possible? (it is quite dusted for a species "hardly dusted")

clovis : France : Daon : 53200 : 27/04/2021
Altitude : 35 m - Taille : 10 mm
Réf. : 281427


clovis : France : Daon : 53200 : 27/04/2021
Altitude : 35 m - Taille : 10 mm
Réf. : 281434


clovis : France : Daon : 53200 : 27/04/2021
Altitude : 35 m - Taille : 10 mm
Réf. : 281435

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Hi Clovis,

It is not Pales, you guessed that already. What is the colour of the palpus ?
Please note the very strong reclinate orbital birstle. So Nilea comes to mind. Nilea has smaller birstles up to halfway or more on facial ridge. So try that.
The alternative is Clemelis, which is essentially a small Nilea, but with 2 reclinate orbitals.

If possible, provide a close-up of the genitalia, these are distinctive.

And when struggling with a key, do use the interactive key on www.tachinidae.eu !!

Theo

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Nice, I didn't know this website! This is of great help,
maybe I won't have to ask on my 3 others specimens waiting for your opinion |t

I can only see one reclinate orbital.

So using www.tachinidae.eu I have only Pales and Nilea that stays. :)

I ruled out Nilea and Clemelis by the colour (black) of palpus (not that I did think specifically of these genus) using Tschornig&Herting, but this might be a southern species with black palpus (color black does not exclude Nilea on Tachinidae.eu)

=> I tried to use Cerretti’s key to go to Nilea species:
But again I am stuck: 2 species has black palpi: Tlephusa cincinna (but 2 reclinate orbital in Tachinidae.eu) and N rufiscutellaris, wich has 4 katerpistal bristle (3 on my specimen).
:S
Scutellum is mostly red on hind margin (and only on margin)


clovis : France : Daon : 53200 : 27/04/2021
Altitude : 40 m - Taille : 8 mm
Réf. : 281756