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Another Stratiomyidae, that I belive to be a Raphiocera sp., and would be great if someone could confirm its ID, as also, identify the fly of my thread "Brazilian Stratiomyidae #1", that until now was not replied.

Photo #1


Coordinates of the place where I took this photo:
Latitude: -22.538442719452, Longitude: -43.228293657303

Date and time:
December 1, 2011 at 9.41.04am GMT+3

Photo #2


Coordinates of the place where I took this photo:
Latitude: -22.538442719452, Longitude: -43.228293657303

Date and time:
December 1, 2011 at 9.41.44am GMT+3

Thanks for help!
AC

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This beautiful fly is Heptozus sp. It is on the cover of this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Manual-Central-American-Diptera-v/dp/0660198339 .

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The antennae are different. Are they highly variable within Heptozus? See thread 45072.

http://www.dipter...d_id=45072

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Ah, I didn't see that thread...thanks John. I need to follow ChrisR's advice and leave the strats alone!

I notice the coloration of the thorax is a bit different too. Since Steve Marshall's photo is ID'd as Heptozus sp., I assume there is some variation among the two presently known species of this genus (MCAD: 543). But this same source does mention Lysozus as a better alternative antenna-wise.

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I found an article with nice pictures of this fly, where Diego Aguilar Fachin, from USP - Ribeirão Preto (SP) and João Paulo Morselli, from Department of Zoology, Insect Sistematic Laboratory, UNESP/Botucatu (SP), identified this fly as Raphiocera sp..

You can check the article here:

http://www.ra-bug...php?id=967

And the gallery with pictures here:

http://www.ra-bug...php?id=967

I would like to know what all of you have to say about this ID.
Thanks you all.
AC

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I can see several minor differences in the fly in the article (different pale markings, C extended past tip of R5, indentation in dark patch at tip of R1 is triangular). I assume these make it a closely related species, but they could be sexual dimorphism, intraspecific variation, or even generic characters.

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Thanks, John!
Now I see.

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Hi Antonio, the photos are not available...

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Sorry!!
Now it is visible again.

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I'm inclined to consider this fly (as well as a similar Brazilian one elsewhere in the Forum) Raphiocera armata (Wiedemann). Fits imho the description in James, 1943 (Ann.Ent.Soc.Am. XXXVI: 376 as Basentidema coerulescens, sp.n.; synonymy in Pimentel&Pujol-Luz, 2001). Scape is not elongate so not a Heptozus (extralimital as well). As far as I know Lysozus Enderlein, 1914 mentioned here is a rather enigmatic genus.