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

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