---

Hi.

The colour of all Myopa is variable and the color of pleura doubly so. The difference between the pale and dark states of pleura is not easy to judge without large reference series of both 'pale' and 'dark' species. IIRC the name M. testacea has been found to be a senior synonym of Myopa strandi, leaving the species previously called M. testacea without any name. As an additional complication Myopa curtirostris - known from Denmark (only?) - was lifted from synonymy back to full species status. As a result of all this there are very few persons who can reliably identify Myopas :|

The ventral rows of setulae are found in all north/central European species with the exception of Myopa vicaria.