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Mechernich-Satzvey (Rhineland / Germany), 13 July 2022, in our garden, half hidden on the leaves of garden flowers close to a pond. Rather small, definitely not more than 1 cm. Can you help me with the ID? Possibly Chrysopilus luteolus or Chrysopilus nubecula? Thanks a lot in advance!

Image 1

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Image 2;

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Image 3:

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That's a tricky male! According to the key in https://www.resea...hagionidae luteolus males have yellow tergites with at most a narrow dark band at the front edge. In the other two species of the luteolus group (nubecula and laetus) the tergites are said to have broad darker transverse bands. In your male, the posterior half of the abdomen is dark, the anterior half light. If we decide on "dark transverse bands", we are stuck, however, because now the shape and size of the clypeus is species-decisive. And you don't have a close-up of the face. So possibly laetus or nubecula or, less probable, a miscoloured luteolus (?)... Maybe Theo has an idea!
Best wishes, Sundew

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Check the very red side of thorax, clearly a male Ch. laetus. Yes, a view on the clypeus would have been nice, but in this case ...

Theo

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Sundew and Theo,
thank you very much for your dedicated discussion. Sorry, no frontal view was possible, as there were several leaves of the big borage plant in the way and the fly stubbornly retained its position.
Best wishes,
Hans Theo