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Dear colleagues,
I have a specimen of Billaea in my collection that fit to the description of B. steini in Tschorsnig and Herting, except of one character, tergite 2 not quite hollowed to the posterior edge. Unfortunately I am unable to make good photos. B. steini is known only from a few countries. I hope that somebody will advice me. Thank you in advance.

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Hi neprisikiski

We had a similar thread a little while ago when I posted a photo of a female B.kolomyetzi ... if I remember correctly it keyed to B.steini but wasn't quite right. Theo might have a few clues on how to split them because he has been working on a revised key :)

Is this a female?

Chris R.

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Thank you very much for your answer Chris, I remember about that thread, when Theo attached some key for the genus, but I am unable to find it now. It would be grate if you helped me! I hope to get Theo's attension as well :)

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I posted some photos of the female and there was some discussion here in this thread and the male is in this thread. I will try to fish-out a copy of Theo's draft key, if he doesn't mind. :)

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The female of kolomyetzi is indeed quite different from the male. To complicate things more, it can have either 4 or 5 vittae on thorax. Characteristic for kolomyetzi is the relatively short projecting mouth edge. Difficult to judge from these pictures.


Theo

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The key and thread are here: http://www.dipter...ost_119296

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Thank you very much for the key Paul!
It has very distinct middle dark vitta before suture clearly visible from my photo. Moreover, it differs from photos made by Chris having a single acrostichal bristle (the latter character fits well to B. steini). It as well differs by higher gena (peristoma) and shorter antennal segment 3 if I correctly see from the photos made by Chris. Projecting of mouth edge is exactly as in B. triangulifera (please tell me if it is ‘short projecting’ or ‘long projecting’) and still one uncertainty - tergite 2 not quite hollowed to the posterior edge!

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Hhi Erikas

Sorry, I did not remember the facial feature correctly. The point is: kolomyetzi has the facial keel strongly reduced ! For instance, in comparison with triangulifera.
Moreover, it has 3 prae-ACR. The third antennal segment is largely yellow at base in female sex. However, it is clearly 2.5 - 3 x as long as second segment. In steini, second segment should be reddish and third only 2 x as long as second.
Please note that the number of vittae on thorax is variable in kolomyetzi, the key is incorrect on that point (at the time, I had little material).
In female kolomyetzi, black triangles ontergite 3 are very large and conspicuous, however, on tergite 4 nearly completely lacking (only a trace when seen very obliquely from behind). In steini, triangles on both t3 and t4 should be conspicous.

Steini is known from Gotland, if I remember correctly, which is not too far from Lithuania.

Theo

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Dear Theo,
Thanks for additional information. The characters that you mentioned for B. steini largely fit to my specimen. Only third antennal segment is even shorter and yellow color on the second segment is not quite yellow, but rather dark red or even brownish, maybe just darker specimen.
Still nobody answers me about hollowed part of tergite 2…

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On both my male & female the excavation doesn't quite reach the posterior edge of T1+2 :)

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Thanks Chris,
I am more sure about my B. steini now!

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I think Chris is referring to kolomyetzi, i don't think Chris has steini, do you ?
I don't know about the excavation in steini, as mentioned in my key, I never saw one. That makes you the expert, Erikas

Theo

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Well, I am the expert of B. steini, and Theo of all the rest Tachinidae :)
By the way, can you look please at my previous thread with Wagneria alpina or related species?

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Yes, sorry - I just have B.kolomyetzi - and the excavation doesn't quite reach the posterior margin of T1+2 :)

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Erikas


I have very little experience in Wagneria.
I'm sure you are right it is in Wagenriini and if it is really Wagneria and not Ramonda, I'm sorry to say I can't be of any help.
You might send it to Peter Tschorsnig, the real expert, in Stuttgart. He'll send it back if you ask so.

Theo