Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Beautiful tiny fly from Portugal
Posted by Rui Andrade on 25-09-2012 21:22
#1
I need help to identify this nice fly seen in Portugal. Maybe Chloropidae?
Location: Óbidos, Portugal
Date: 20/09/2012
Posted by Paul Beuk on 26-09-2012 08:56
#2
Perhaps
Aphaniosoma in Chyromyidae, but I have never seen them 'in the flesh'.
Posted by Rui Andrade on 26-09-2012 09:10
#3
Hi Paul! Thank you for your help. I uploaded a photo of a “normal” Aphaniosoma. It looks different from the one above.
Posted by Paul Beuk on 26-09-2012 12:01
#4
I know there are pale and dark species and their posture is similar...
Posted by Rui Andrade on 26-09-2012 13:00
#5
Ok, thanks!
Posted by Rui Andrade on 26-09-2012 15:09
#6
More photos:
Posted by Rui Andrade on 26-09-2012 15:09
#7
.
Posted by Rui Andrade on 26-09-2012 15:10
#8
.
Posted by Eric Fisher on 26-09-2012 18:03
#9
Wings look like
Asteia (Asteiidae) to me, though the head (especially from above) looks like Teratomyzidae.
Posted by Rui Andrade on 26-09-2012 18:54
#10
Hmmm, interesting, thank you Eric! I'm very confused about this fly!:S
Posted by Jan Willem on 26-09-2012 20:32
#11
What about
Astiosoma rufifrons?
Posted by Eric Fisher on 26-09-2012 21:47
#12
Jan, I believe
Astiosoma (also in Asteiidae) has a posterior cv. (dm-cu), which Rui's fly seems to lack.
Rui: there is a third family in this mix: Xenasteiidae; these, asteiids and teratom's are all very closely related, and your fly is certainly one of these three. Unfortunately, all my printed literature is still at CDFA, and I now have access only to the common, internet-based stuff (which doesn't help here). There is a person who could ID your interesting fly at a glance: Dr. Amnon Friedberg, of Tel Aviv Univ.
Posted by Paul Beuk on 27-09-2012 12:50
#13
I had not seen the wing venation before. It is
Asteia. I know of at least two species with such flattened heads,
A. tunisica and
A. floricola, of which the former seems tio be the more likely one.
Posted by Rui Andrade on 28-09-2012 10:25
#14
Thank you Jan, Eric and Paul. Yes, dm-cu is indeed absent. I’ve seen the drawings of A. floricola and A. tunisica heads and they look very similar to the species I found! I have been sending asteiids to Dr. Jindrich Rohacek so I’ll contact him to see if he is interested in seeing this species.:)
Posted by Paul Beuk on 28-09-2012 10:31
#15
I am. :)
Posted by Rui Andrade on 28-09-2012 10:33
#16
I'll send some to you.:)
Edited by Rui Andrade on 28-09-2012 10:46
Posted by Paul Beuk on 28-09-2012 11:14
#17
Much obliged! Another species of the same group might be
Asteia ibizana but I think that species has the head less flattened.
Posted by Paul Beuk on 02-11-2017 16:09
#18
This really should be
A. tunisica. The eye is at least twice as long as high and this is less in all other
Asteia with elongate head.