Diptera.info

Posted by jorgemotalmeida on 01-03-2010 22:34

This amazing tachinid was photographed by my friend Jean Hort.

May Theo/Chris can confirm this one?

farm5.static.flickr.com/4017/4388598334_e4b0f3d93f_b.jpg

farm5.static.flickr.com/4017/4388598334_e4b0f3d93f_b.jpg

Edited by jorgemotalmeida on 03-03-2010 23:16

Posted by Liekele Sijstermans on 02-03-2010 21:49

If it would be Goniini (Exoristinae), then it could not be Microtropesa as several authors place Microtropesa in Tachinini (Tachininae).

But it certainly looks like Microtropesa as I have found several similar pictures it on the internet, some claimed to be identified by Cantrell, an Australian specialist on Tachinidae.

So my guess would be Microtropesa. But there are more than fifteen species. Last revision not in my possession: Revision of the Australian genus Microtropesa Macquart (Diptera: Tachinidae: Tachinini) by Burwell, Christopher J., Memoirs of the Queensland Museum. 1996 20 July; 39(2):211-226.

Liekele

Posted by ChrisR on 02-03-2010 22:16

Liekele Sijstermans wrote:
If it would be Goniini (Exoristinae), then it could not be Microtropesa as several authors place Microtropesa in Tachinini (Tachininae).

With such a Gonia-type appearance it makes me wonder what criteria they have used to place it in a completely different subfamily ... very odd :S

Posted by Zeegers on 06-03-2010 10:22

I agree with Liekele. Have a close look and note that the ocellar bristles are proclinate.
In sideview, the similarity with Goniini vanishes rapidly:
http://images.google.nl/imgres?imgurl=http://anic.ento.csiro.au/insectfamilies/GetMultimedia.aspx%3FID%3D4200%26w%3D940&imgrefurl=http://anic.ento.csiro.au/insectfamilies/image_details.aspx%3FOrderID%3D26547%26BiotaID%3D46393%26ImageID%3D4200%26PageID%3Dfamilies&usg=__gUvJF22hmBHk2SszYdUo4Lz4sSA=&h=613&w=940&sz=66&hl=nl&start=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=CCShEN5jxz2xaM:&tbnh=97&tbnw=148&prev=/images%3Fq%3DMicrotropesa%26um%3D1%26hl%3Dnl%26sa%3DN%26tbs%3Disch:1

Theo