Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Conopidae -> Thecophora sp.

Posted by Haleun on 16-07-2017 21:15
#1

Hello,

my pictures are from June 27 near the village of Bantikow, Brandenburg, Germany.
Is an ID possible? With Zodion I am pretty sure - but which one?

Thank you for an answer!

Hans

Edited by Haleun on 14-02-2018 13:02

Posted by Haleun on 16-07-2017 21:15
#2

picture 2

Posted by Haleun on 16-07-2017 21:16
#3

picture 3

Posted by Haleun on 03-08-2017 21:58
#4

Hello,

hopefully someone could possibly confirm Zodion sp.

Cheers, Hans

Posted by piros on 04-08-2017 08:27
#5

I think it is Thecophora (male).

Geetings,

Henrik

Posted by Haleun on 14-02-2018 13:04
#6

Hello Henrik,

thank you very much for your helpful answer!
I am so sorry for answering 4 months too late.

Cheers,
Hans

Posted by Steve Scholnick on 15-02-2018 04:25
#7

Hi Hans
I think you were correct in calling it Zodion based on the fact that the proboscis is bent at the base. Thecophora would have a bend in the middle resulting in the proboscis being much shorter when folded. You can see photos of both in the gallery: Zodion, Thecophora.
Other than that, the two genera are pretty similar to my eye.

Regards
Steve

Edited by Steve Scholnick on 15-02-2018 04:27

Posted by piros on 15-02-2018 09:57
#8

No, proboscis is bent twice, as can be clearly seen in the first picture, so it is Thecophora.
See the key here:
http://home.hccnet.nl/mp.van.veen/conopidae/

Greetings,
Henrik

Posted by Piluca_Alvarez on 15-02-2018 11:17
#9

Another opinion ;)

I absolutely agree with Henrik, it is Thecophora, no shadow of doubt. Apart from the proboscis (as said by him, first picture is clear) genae are smaller in Thecophora than in Zodion, which gives a very different look at the face when seen in profile view.

Edited by Piluca_Alvarez on 15-02-2018 11:24

Posted by Steve Scholnick on 15-02-2018 15:29
#10

Hi Henrik and Piluca,
Thanks for the correction and the link to the key. I was confused by fact that the first segment of the proboscis is so long and have never seen a Thecophora (photo or fly) like that – all of the descriptions I've seen of that genus put the bend in the "middle" of the proboscis. I also misremembered how many bends each genus had

Regards
Steve

Posted by Haleun on 15-02-2018 19:43
#11

Hello Steve, Piluca and Henrik,

thank you so much for your interesting discussion!
Following the key I think it is a member of the atra-group, isn't it?

Best regards,
Hans

Posted by piros on 15-02-2018 21:29
#12

I think so too, and likely to be T. atra itself, which is the most common sp in Central Europe anyway

Regards,
Henrik.

Edited by piros on 15-02-2018 21:31

Posted by Piluca_Alvarez on 15-02-2018 21:30
#13

Hi, Steve and Hans :)

I am glad the discussion was of any help :) ;)

And yes, it is of the atra-group :) But males are hopeless, very hard even with the specimen in hand, as far as I know :(