Has Trichina-like antennae and venation (which is very pale) and basal third of hind tibiae twisted. Genitalia large! Never seen anything like this before and cannot key out. Any comments appreciated. Garden, S.Yorks.
Please note that Amydroneura is a subgenus of Rhamphomyia, so the correct name is Rhamphomyia gibba. Family Empididae, not Hybotidae. Sorry to be pedantic, but this business of names leads to much confusion.
Names are clearly important but in this instance I doubt if anyone would have been unduly confused.
Hi John, since your text was quite short I've just added it to the main members' page for now. If needed we can set up a sub-page later on. DF members who are logged in to the website should now be able to access it via the "Resources" menu under "DF membership area".
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I added this pic of Suillia affinis easily enough by choosing Image on the bar above, then going to Open File Browser, then Upload.
Thanks Howard, I will run it through the key again treating it as a Muscid.
In the meantime I will try to find a better method for taking a photo through my microscope eyepiece with my phone!
I consulted Adrian Pont who suggested Phaonia. This fly is P. lugubris.
Note for other Muscid workers: The very distinctive ventral fringe of long hairs on the fore tibia is surprisingly difficult to see. Unless one achieves precisely the correct aspect for viewing the fringe stays stubbornly out of view. It was my initial conclusion that this fly had no such fringe that led me to dismiss P. lugubris as the likely species I had before me. Image of finge below
Muscids - a challenge round every corner!
With that body colouration and head proportions, it looks like you've got the classic melanogaster there. In the male, just the posterior segments are shining black (hence the name melanogaster, roughly translated as "black abdomen"). But in your specimen the anterior abdominal segments are darkened too. This usually happens after death, when food particles in the gut begin to decay, causing the innards to go dark brown, and show through the translucent yellow cuticle. You can see yours is a male from the black "comb" on the front leg.
I took one yesterday (16th Sept) in my local nature reserve, TQ777562, sweeping mixed vegetation (with lots of nettles) under trees. I have seen it suggested (can't remember where) that it might be resident now, and able to make use of some British Orthoptera. Nice research project for someone?
Howard Bentley
It was identified as Pterella grisea (with a query) on iRecord. When asked, I confirmed that there were also nests of Cerceris arenaria around the nest of Megachile. This is something to investigate again next year.