Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Miltogramminae?
Posted by Muhammad Mahdi on 12-01-2009 18:21
#1
After a sand wasp had dug its hole and gone inside, this fly, tried to follow. I stopped it so as to take a few picture. The fly was around 7mm long. Pictured in Dar es Salaam.
Edited by Muhammad Mahdi on 12-01-2009 19:27
Posted by Xespok on 12-01-2009 18:33
#2
Sarcophagidae, Miltogramminae, change title to attract experts.
Posted by Muhammad Mahdi on 12-01-2009 19:30
#3
So family Sarcophagidae and sub-family Miltogramminae.
Thanks.
Any chance of knowing the genus or species. Any why it was following a wasp? ;)
Posted by Philippe moniotte on 12-01-2009 20:21
#4
It is indeed a parasite of the wasp, laying eggs on the captured flies with which the wasp feeds its larvae. Nice observation and beautiful pictures...
Philippe
Posted by Muhammad Mahdi on 12-01-2009 20:37
#5
So once the wasp's larvae eat the captured flies, they also consume the eggs of this fly and the eggs grow within the larvae. Is that correct?
Thanks Philippe for the answer and the compliments.
If anybody can provide the exact species name, I would appreciate much. Thanks.
Posted by paqui on 12-01-2009 22:31
#6
IŽm sorry, they are very beatiful but iŽve only foundt keys for northern and eastern Europe, not this genera, I suppose, but, while experts see it try Craticulina or related, idŽlike to find keys for it, very nice pics :)
Posted by Liekele Sijstermans on 12-01-2009 23:53
#7
This is Craticulina spec indeed. From Tanzania only Craticulina seriata is known so far.
Identification key: Zumpt, 1961, Calliphoridae (Diptera Cyclorrhapha) part III Miltogramminae.
Wasp larvae emerge later than larvae of miltogrammine fly. The fly is (ovo)larviparous, which means that the fly does not lay eggs, but larvae. The fly larvae eats the prey of the sand wasp leaving little to eat for the wasp larvae. Sometimes they also attack the smaller wasp larvae itself.
Liekele
Posted by Muhammad Mahdi on 13-01-2009 09:44
#8
Wow! What a survival reproductive mechanism!
Thanks for the info. :)
Posted by paqui on 14-01-2009 00:06
#9
Thank you very much, Liekele; again an unusual book (after Rhiininae) foundt in a dutch bookshop! :)
Thans again