Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Anyone for this fly?

Posted by gardensafarinl on 09-01-2006 21:01
#1

I have some unidentified flies in my files. Knowing family, genus or species would allow me to add them to my site. Anyone for this species? Photographed May 8th, 2002 in my garden in Eastern Holland, where it got stuck on the sticky leaves of a Rhododendron bud.

www.gardensafari.net/temp/diptera_sp_ha2_1724.jpg

Thanks a lot in advance,

Cheers,

Hans

Posted by Zeegers on 09-01-2006 21:41
#2

Hi Hans

Excellent picture !
It is a Tachinidae, to be precise the very common spring species Phorocera obscura, a amale.
Its habitus is atypical for a Tachinidae, being so elongated and slender. Together with the checkered abdomen it is ofter mistaken for a Sarcophagidae. However, the arista is bare and the eyes are hairy, very nicely demonstrated on this picture!
Typical for Phorocera (and the other members of the tribe Exoristini, to which it belongs) is the distinctive fold coming out of the bend of vein m, also nicely visible in the picture.
The male genitalia of Phorocera are extremely large, another easy to check feature in the field.
There are 3 species of Phorocera, of which obscura, the most common one, is easily recognized by the totally dark scutellum.

Theo

Posted by gardensafarinl on 09-01-2006 22:12
#3

Dear Theo,

Thanks a lot. I am glad that you wrote about this fly being slender and chequered like a flesh fly. It got me confused anyway. I did see the long hairs, which actually remindede me of a parasitic fly, but there were so many things against it, I simply couldn't decide.
Anyway, it is going to be on my home page soon. And I will post more pictures soon.

Thanks a lot,

Hans