---

female - April 2018 - Berlin - woodlands on a tree

hairy eyes and long antennae make me think of Tachinidae but the pulvilli are quite large. Is it possible to get a genus? I have a specimen but microscopic work will not happen yet. I'm too busy to examine it right now. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thank You for your time.


Edit: this is a male. my apologies for the error.

---

ps: she measures circa 6.2mm

---

this one is very strange. i will try to examine it this weekend, so maybe it is best to wait until we can see more details. my photos are not very good. I will return to this thread when i have microscopic photos. I can't even see if the arista are hairy. I shall return with photos this weekend...

---

Might very well benPhorocera obscura, but a lateral view would be nice.

Theo

---

Hello Theo, i was looking through the gallery and I noticed similarities with Phorocera obscura. I will look at it today instead of the weekend. I also have my first Protocalliphora to examine, so I will get to work soon. I'll post a lateral photo and some microscopic photos. Anything particular that I should photograph? I'll try to cover all of the bases.

---

correction: this is a male. my apologies for the error. I am used to Calliphoridae and eye separation. I have trouble switching mental modes. So he measures 6.2mm.

---

head

---

antennae

---

prosternum is hairy

---

wing has some hairs present and a shadow fold is also present

---

palpi are yellow/orange

---

discovered it is a male. epandrium, cerci

---

epandrium cerci lateral

---

cerci angled

---

cerci dissected

---

surstyli visible

---

sternite 5

---

sorry for the delay. I also examined a female Pollenia cf viatica, thus i am a bit tired now. The photos aren\t the best. I still have a cheap microscope. I'll try to upgrade sometime this year. Phorocera seems to fit well.

Thank you for your time.

---

Yeap !
The very large genitalia are typical for Phorocera. This is Ph. obscura.
Very common, esp. in May, so get to know this one !
It is much more elongated than most other Tachinidae (hence often ‘identified’. as Sarcophagidae )

Theo

---

blitzschnell, Theo :) Thank You very much for your time.

I thought it was a sarc until i looked at my photos. I am happy to find this one. I like Tachinids but i still have alot to learn about them. I'd like to upgrade my microscope soon for better photos. I'll start looking for a better setup.

Meantime, I found it sitting on a tree trunk in the sunshine along a pathway between a field and woodlands.

I will study the photos now. He is very interesting and very pretty despite being grayish. Tachinids are very interesting.

I will clear the genitalia in clove oil for a day or two, then try to make better photos. I'll add them to the gallery along with a better lateral photo.

Thanks again, Theo. I have much to learn about Tachinids. I'm actually hoping to find some Istochaeta. If I find them, I'll let you know immediately.

I hope that you have a pleasant day.