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Hi,

here is one more of these strange flies. I am thinking Helina and if I follow the key: meron bare below posterior spiracle, prosternum bare, frons narrower, radial node bare, sternites shining black, setae on sternites 2 and 3 longer than relevant segments, posterior tibia black and sternites shorter than broad we will come to Helina setiventris. Probably I'm wrong (as ususal) but if it is, it will be a good one. The other thing is, that is this Helina at all ? July 17. 2007 Helsinki, Finland.

Jari

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Two more pictures.

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It is very likely a male Helina setiventris with these shining black sternites covered with very long hairs. To be really sure, you could pull out the cerci so that we could see their charasterisctic shape.

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Sorry if I interrupt your determination discussion, but I'd just like to point out that the species Stéphane suggested would be a new one for Finland, I guess...

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So it would be worth being confirmed by sending the specimen to me (or someone else).

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That's why I wrote " a good one" :)

Jari

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I will send the specimen Stephane. Thank's again.

Jari

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I have confirmed Helina setiventris without any ambiguity. I attach a picture of the genitalia where the shape of the cercal plate is visible (these are some bad pictures, but I haven't wished to remove the genitalia from the abdomen).

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Thank You again Stephane. Now we have a new Helina-species to our fauna again. (Sorry for the delay with my answer. I had a computer crash but now everything is ok again).

Jari

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Congratulations! It seems JariF really is about to efficiently continue the late and legendary Mr. Tiensuu's work in collecting (muscids etc.) in the south-eastern corner of Finland (I'm more inclined to the south-west).

The only essential difference perhaps is that Tiensuu used a moped and a net and Jari uses a malaise trap and I don't know what his vehicle is;)!

Thanks also to Stephane for his great help again - Muscidae will probably be one of the priorised families in the upcoming decade in Finnish dipterology - I might predict we could contact you in the future too...

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My collecting vechile :)

Jari