Posted by conopid on 06-10-2006 12:51
#1
This is a tough one! The female Rhaphium below is either appendiculatum or caliginosum. Fonseca's RES key to UK Dolichopodidae splits the two species on a very difficult wing vein character:
caliginosum: "cubital vein gently curving rearwards from about middle to near apex, where it becomes quite straight to wing margin"
appendiculatum: "Cubital vein, after curving rearwards to near apex, slightly curving forwards to wing margin"
I reckon it is appendiculatum, on the other hand it could be caliginosum, wait no, maybe it's appendiculatum, or could it be....
VERY DIFFICULT:@, so lets vote. What do others think?