The Society for the study of flies (Diptera)

Andrew Cunningham · 2012-01-30 23:17:38

Hello,

During a recent visit to a limestone rich woodland in South Devon, I captured this fly which I think might be a Phaonia subventa and would like to ask if anyone can comment on it please?

Regards,
Andrew.

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falky · 2012-01-31 04:09:12

With the all-grey abdomen, it can't be subventa. The all-yellow scutellum on an otherwise grey body and reddish legs is most suggestive of a Mydaea species such as corni - check for briatles on the top and bottom of the wing 'node' in the basal parts of the wing where veins R2+3 and R5+5 split. This separates Mydaea from similiar-looking Phaonis species. If there are no bristles (or no bristle insertion holes should they have been knocked off), you could have one of the rarer Phaonia's such as zugmayeriae or latipalpis, which are both associated with Butterbur. Hope it is one of the rarer ones. What key are you using Andrew?

Falky

Andrew Cunningham · 2012-01-31 12:50:48

Thanks Falky! I am not using any keys, just my vague recollection of flies I came across last year and the habitat. I clearly put two and two together and got five as I have just checked and found longish bristles at the basal node on the top and bottom of the wings. This makes it Mydaea species. Where do I go from here?

Regards,
Andrew.

haematocephalus · 2012-01-31 16:02:15

The Royal Ent Soc key to Muscidae, by d'Assis Fonseca, is available to download from the RES website - it's a fairly large pdf:
http://www.royensoc.co.uk/sites/default … art04b.pdf

Yours looks like a female, and the key to female Mydaea starts on page 42. It's not an enormous genus, so the key isn't too daunting in this case!

Andrew Cunningham · 2012-02-01 00:02:19

Thanks for that helpful link Martin. I have run it through as best as I can and have come to Mydaea discimana which I gather is now called Mydaea affinis.

The prealar bristle is a little shorter than the adjacent second notopleural bristle. The abdomen is uniformly dusted grey but some dark patches are present. However, I am not sure what is meant by the apical segment of the front tarsus being dilated, they all look quite even in thickness.

Regards,
Andrew.

Andrew Cunningham · 2012-02-01 00:07:58

I am now leaning towards Mydaea scutellaris due to black ground colour patches of the abdomen, darkened palpi, second notopleural bristle larger than the prealar and humeri clearly yellow.

This is also now renamed as Mydaea corni I gather according to NBN Gateway.

Regards,
Andrew.

falky · 2012-02-01 03:36:45

Corni is plausible as it is one of the commonest Mydaea's. I've never seen affinis, and will be rather jealous if you've found one so easily! Quite a few name changes in muscids since the RES key, but much of this this can be sorted out using the current checklist and the web. Even Blue Tit, Black-headed Gull and Natterjack affected by recent name changes, and don't get me started with plants.

Falky

Stephane Lebrun · 2012-02-01 15:56:28

I agree with Mydaea corni, the look-alike species (females) have yellow humeri.

Stephane.

The Society for the study of flies (Diptera)

#1 2012-01-30 23:17:38

ID : Phaonia subventa?

#2 2012-01-31 04:09:12

Re: ID : Phaonia subventa?

#3 2012-01-31 12:50:48

Re: ID : Phaonia subventa?

#4 2012-01-31 16:02:15

Re: ID : Phaonia subventa?

#5 2012-02-01 00:02:19

Re: ID : Phaonia subventa?

#6 2012-02-01 00:07:58

Re: ID : Phaonia subventa?

#7 2012-02-01 03:36:45

Re: ID : Phaonia subventa?

#8 2012-02-01 15:56:28

Re: ID : Phaonia subventa?

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