Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Dutch Tachinid from beetle
Posted by Louis Boumans on 08-03-2005 17:35
#1
Sth. for our Tachinidae specialists: I reared this specimen from a beetle cadavre that i found in grass tufts in the dunes near Haarlem (NL). As I kept the pupa indoors, it came out yesterday. I have no idea about the beetle yet.
Cheers, Louis
Posted by ChrisR on 08-03-2005 23:02
#2
female Meigenia sp.?
Posted by Zeegers on 09-03-2005 18:31
#3
Seems to be the best guess to me as well.
To be sure, I need to see the specimen.
And a more definite ID on the host would be great !
Theo Zeegers
Posted by Louis Boumans on 11-03-2005 00:00
#4
I'll try and find a specialist for the beetle; actually i have only the abdomen and the thorax but no head or legs... Did i mention it was an ADULT beetle in which the fly developed?
Theo, I will bring the fly to you. Cheers, Louis
Posted by Louis Boumans on 14-03-2005 12:36
#5
Tom Hakbijl, a specialist from the zoological museum in Amsterdam, identified the beetle remains as
Galeruca tanaceti (L.), an oligophagous chrysomelid on
Tanacetum vulgare and
Achillea millefolium etc. Maybe this helps.
Louis
Posted by Zeegers on 16-03-2005 21:43
#6
Chrysomelidae are among the most important hosts in the Coleoptera for Tachinidae, together with Cerambycidae.
So it helps only a little.
The host is consistent with Meigenia.
Moreover, Meigenia is described as having a preference in ovipositoring on older larvae. Therefore, pupation from pupae or even adult Chrysomelidae is again consistent with Meigenia.
So, Meigenia is still the most likely bet.
Theo Zeegers
Posted by Tschorsnig on 17-03-2005 12:53
#7
Most probably a female of Picconia incurva (Zetterstedt, 1844), a parasitoid of Chrysomelidae. Galeruca tanaceti is already known as host of this species (see d'Aguilar, Bull. Soc. ent. Fr. 1959: 17, and Farinets and Matkovskyi 1984 in "Dipt. Fauna USSR and their significance in ecosystems").
Herting (Monografien angew. Ent. 16, 1960: 52) supposes that eggs are laid on the host larva, but it is known that puparia of the fly have been found in dead beetles (Aguilar 1959).
Meigenia females have a narrower frons than the specimen on the photo.
Peter
Edited by Tschorsnig on 17-03-2005 13:06
Posted by Zeegers on 17-03-2005 19:12
#8
Hi Peter,
There are experts and real experts, as very well demonstrated by you.
Picconia was my second guess, but I did not dare to suggest it in public, since it would be the third record from the Netherlands.
The second record was caught by me near Haarlem, the same locality as this specimen.
So Louis, I need to see it 'live' ! Under the binocular, even this expert can tell the difference. I will contact you.
Theo Zeegers
Posted by Louis Boumans on 25-03-2005 12:15
#9
Theo (Zeegers) was here this morning to see the fly, and confirmed Tschornig's identification : it's Picconia incurva, the third specimen known from the NL.
Posted by Zeegers on 26-03-2005 12:21
#10
a female Picconia incurva, to be complete.
Congratulations to Peter Tschorsnig for the best photo ID on this forum so far.
And thanks Louis for rearing the specimen and sharing the result
Theo Zeegers