The Society for the study of flies (Diptera)

oceanlis2000 · 2012-01-24 14:58:22

04 11 11

Mid-Wales

Again not sure about this one- any help appreciated

Thanks

Uploaded Images

oxycera · 2012-01-24 23:22:46

One of the dark-legged Hylemya (Anthomyiidae)

oceanlis2000 · 2012-01-26 13:56:08

Thanks John, is it possible to ID this group from photos, any keys available? I don't weven know what to look for to get to the genus!

haematocephalus · 2012-01-26 17:48:29

See the Anthomyiidae Study Group section on this forum:
http://www.dipteristsforum.org.uk/f22-A … Group.html

There were some draft keys in circulation, although last I heard they had been temporarily withdrawn awaiting the latest revisions I think.

My abilities at identifying anthomyiids are very limited even when I have a specimen under the microscope, and there are people on this forum who are much more familiar with them than I am, but even so I believe I'm correct in saying that the majority are not identifiable from photos alone, and for many dissection of the male genitalia is required for a definite ID.

oxycera · 2012-01-26 20:01:19

Certainly, I always stick to males and use genitalia characters.
Hylemya, however, is one of the few genera that have the arista as hairy as the specimen in your photograph.
It's probably just me, but I find separating Anthomyiids from Muscids reasonably easy in the field or in a tube yet when I look at photographs I am often riddled with doubt!

falky · 2012-01-27 03:45:53

It will be either variata or urbica but I would'nt push it beyond that, and even pinned specimens of females can be difficult to assign, though males have very different 'bits'

Falky

oceanlis2000 · 2012-01-30 14:22:52

Thanks for all the info and tips, I think I'll stay with males at the moment and leave this at the genus level, it's still a huge step forwards

ChrisR · 2012-01-30 17:08:10

I can confirm that Mike is working on the revised keys and has asked me to take the old versions off-line on the Tachinid Recording Scheme site, where he has a page Mike is very keen to help anyone take up studying anthomyiids (it is a surprisingly under-studied group) and is full of excellent tips on genitalia preps so drop him an email if you fancy giving them a go

falky · 2012-01-31 04:17:36

Anthomyiids really are quite good fun, providing you dry males with the genitalia fully hooked open. Once you have gained experience with the commoner species, you start to recognise some of the associated females, and can even start to do some of the males without using the genitalia. You then get to spot the more unusual species (and in my experience over 95% of the anthomyiids you find in lowland southern England are about 12 common species). I get the odd conundrum and challenge, but nearly always get there in the end. But it does involve keeping pinned specimens and building up a decent comparative collection.

Falky

haematocephalus · 2012-01-31 15:55:06

Chris, I can't find the anthomyiid page on the tachinid website at the moment, has the whole page been temporarily removed or am I missing something?

Thanks.

The Society for the study of flies (Diptera)

#1 2012-01-24 14:58:22

Another fly

#2 2012-01-24 23:22:46

Re: Another fly

#3 2012-01-26 13:56:08

Re: Another fly

#4 2012-01-26 17:48:29

Re: Another fly

#5 2012-01-26 20:01:19

Re: Another fly

#6 2012-01-27 03:45:53

Re: Another fly

#7 2012-01-30 14:22:52

Re: Another fly

#8 2012-01-30 17:08:10

Re: Another fly

#9 2012-01-31 04:17:36

Re: Another fly

#10 2012-01-31 15:55:06

Re: Another fly

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