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Hello!

:S I feel sure this is not C. vicina! I have tried to go through the key but can't come to a decision. For one, the basicosta does not look pale, not totally black maybe but it is not obvious like I see on viciana nor is it as 'chunky'.

There are 3 pairs of scutellar bristles, the abdomen doesn't look tessellated, the last abdominal segments turn ventrally sharply which I haven't seen in vicina, it doesn't look like it is 'flexing' it's tail end either. The occiput rather than being weakly concave looks convex.

On my wall, near Lincoln UK on 16th January. It was smaller than females I have seen of vicina at ~8mm if I remember correctly.

Help! :D

Janet

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crop 1

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crop 2

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Dorsal

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Dorsal crop

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Face

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Tibia 3

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Tibia 1 and 2

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My opinion is that the basicosta in this specimen is pale enough to be vicina. I think that in Calliphora, when the basicosta is black, it is clearly so.

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I've been through the keys so many times Tony, it might be vicina but it doesn't seem like others I have.

The keys state C. vicina has a weakly concave occiput, if you look at the side crop of the head you can see a bulge continuing around the back of the head.

Back to the keys again. ;)

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Calliphora subalpina has a convex occiput. It's been collected around Sheffield, which isn't such a long way away.

http://micropics....alpina.htm

Is there any reason why it could not be this?

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Janet - subalpina has a dark anterior spiracle, and a less-infuscated lower calyptra - the pale spiracle and infuscated calyptra on your specimen would exclude this species. As for the convexity of the occiput, I can't really see any difference between your specimen and those vicina in the gallery (allowing for different angles of view). The size of the specimen is well within the range of vicina - all carrion-feeding species are able to produce small individuals if conditions require it. If you want to make this into anything other than vicina, you will have to collect the specimen!

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Are you certain that subalpina always has a dark anterior spiracle Tony? I know that uralensis can have a pale one which is mentioned in the keys by Rognes, there's no mention of colour for subalpina but that may have been covered earlier in the keys.

The keys also state the lower calypter can occasionally be slightly infuscated.

Collecting a specimen is all very well, if I could ascertain the fly was suspect, and if I could catch it before it buzzed off, and if I was willing. I sometimes see Calliphora photos on the forum which can be identified so I'm trying. :D

Unfortunaltely I can't find any photos of mine of a female vicina showing the occiput from that angle. I might be looking at it wrong, but there looks to be a ridge which I have marked with arrows, it doesn't look to be concave rather more convex.

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Rognes key ..

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Marginal T5 setae ..

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My experience with subalpina is: anterior spiracle can be pale brownish to beige, but not orange. lower calypter can be infuscated, especially in the middle and especially in pictures, but never wholly dark as in vicina and vomitoria. central light hairs of the occupit is more golden.

All coulours seem a litte strange in your photos. Basicosta and spiracle seems light/orange. Lower calypter could maybe prove to be light with a dark midline under the microscope.

Good luck ;)

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Janet - you will have to reach your own conclusion on this one. I've reached mine.

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I'm working on it Tony. :D

Thanks for your info cyprinoid, I had read your thread.

A few pointers here, colour of the anterior spiracle varies a great deal even in vicina. Colour or intensity of colour of the basicosta can vary somewhat too, maybe this is due to age. I would imagine a newly emerged fly might have different colouring than one which has aged.

I have selected some of my photos to show how the anterior spiracle can vary.

First, look at the spiracle in the view showing the right side, it wasn't getting the sun glaring on it but I used the flash. It looks to be pale brown.

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I took some of the sunshine off the basicosta.. this looks like a fresh fly, wings are pristine and the frons still red.

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One of my other C. vicina females for comparison .. taken in May.

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The same fly as just posted, see how dark the anterior spiracle is!

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Now a C. vomitoria male with a quite pink face which I often see! The anterior spiracle is brown and paler than the vicina I just posted. This must be a newly emerged fly.

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A vomitoria female also with a pink face, and do I detect a small pale area on the basicosta?