Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Trixa caerulescens var. alpina - Tachinidae

Posted by Carlo Monari on 15-08-2014 08:13
#1

On the Italian Entomologist Forum (FEI) recently Matteo Magnani posted the following photos.
Could this be a Trixa?
San Pellegrino Valley, TN, Italy, 1900 m asl, July 14, 2014.

Edited by Carlo Monari on 05-11-2015 08:35

Posted by Carlo Monari on 15-08-2014 08:14
#2

second photo

Posted by ChrisR on 16-08-2014 09:26
#3

Yes, looks like Trixa conspersa but all of the species keying features are slightly obscured or out of focus ;)

Edited by ChrisR on 16-08-2014 09:30

Posted by Zeegers on 16-08-2014 09:35
#4

Trixa caerulescens var. alpina

the status of this taxon is unclear.

Theo

Posted by Carlo Monari on 16-08-2014 11:19
#5

Thanks a lot Chris and Theo for your answers. Yes, I agree about the the poor visibility of the keying features, but this happens almost always in photos of living insects.
T. coerulescens was my guess too; in my opinion legs are much darker in T. conspersa, but maybe this is not a diagnostic character.
Matteo's guess was T. alpina, but I read on Cerretti's thesis about the uncertain status of alpina, Theo's statement seems the perfect balance.

Edited by Carlo Monari on 16-08-2014 11:19