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female - 4.2 mm (excluding oviscape) - Berlin - July 2018
male - 4 mm - Berlin - July 2018

I am posting a photo of male and female. I believe that the correct id is Chaetostomella cylindrica.

I have Chaetorellia jaceae which has a presutural dc. The species in question lacks presutural dc.
A problem for me is that i don't see black basal spots on the scutellum of either gender.
Tergites 2-4 each have four black spots.
I see numerous black genal setae on the female. The male has white setae in addition to black setae.
postoculars are black which will eliminate C. rossica if this is Chaetostomella cylindrica.
just for the record, the oviscape is 1mm in length and the base is 0.5 mm in width.

Thank you for your time,
John

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male

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Chaetostomella cylindrica is correct.

In an older thread Valery called it an aggregation of species, I don't know the latest status.

They have some strong bristles at the mouth-edge which Chaetorellia hasn't.

Ben

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Thank You very much, Ben :)

I tried to key it using the only keys available from Ian White. I also compared the photos to the photos at your website - which, by the way, is most helpful for Tephritidae. I see the genal setae and the strong bristles at the mouth-edge in my macro photos. See attached photo.

I also notice that the wing pattern of the female is different than most drawings, which resemble the wing of the male. I also notice that the female has an extra frontal bristle on the right side of her head. The frontals are also visible in the attachment.

I am not a botanist, so i do not know the id of the plant that they were both visiting a few feet apart. Maybe someone can recognize the plant? I will attach a photo of the plant after this post. I assume it to be some sort of Thistle but my Wife thinks that it is not a Thistle. I say "well, what the hell do i know?" Maybe it is an alien plant from Mars :)

do you recommend a dna test for clarity if this is an aggregation of species?

Anyway, I truly appreciate your time and expertise, Ben. I hope that you have a pleasant day.

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anyone able to identify this plant? is it a host plant?

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C. cylindrica has a very broad range of host plants John.

In my surrounding I saw it oviposit in Carduus sp. and in Centaurea sp.

I have no knowledge at all of dna, so I can't give you any advise about a dna-test.

Here is an interesting article about the whole matter :

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/24020840_Host_races_in_Chaetostomella_cylindrica_Diptera_Tephritidae_genetic_and_behavioural_evidence

Ben

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Hello Ben,

Thank you for everything. I appreciate you very much. I've read the entire document and it is very informative. I will submit legs for a dna test. I understand that there may be cryptic host related species. My Wife did some research on the plant and she determines it to be a Centaurea Knapweed sp. I agree.

I was searching for more data about Tephritidae and i was able to acquired a copy of "A revision of the genus Chaetorellia" by Ian White. I am happy about this find. I didn't have material about C. acrolophi, so this is a good addition to my library.

I will examine these Tephritids soon. I want to document the genitalia.

I hope that you have a pleasant day, :)
John