Diptera.info

Posted by jorgemotalmeida on 20-08-2009 23:49

This fly was spot in 18th August 2009 in P�voa D�o. 7 mm size.

Edited by jorgemotalmeida on 16-01-2010 21:42

Posted by Zeegers on 21-08-2009 09:38

Very distinctive, yet currently no idea.

Need to work on this one.

Theo

Posted by ChrisR on 21-08-2009 09:41

It's a very interesting fly! :) But it doesn't ring any bells with me :(

Posted by jorgemotalmeida on 21-08-2009 10:57

#10

hm..... :) probably. It is cited for Spain.
I hope Theo agrees with this ID. ;)

Posted by Jaakko on 24-08-2009 07:01

#12

Hi,

They belong to Ethillini. Paratryphera is the only familiar genus to me in this tribe, they are very similar in habitus!

Jaakko

Posted by jorgemotalmeida on 13-01-2010 14:29

#13

Forgot this thread. I would like to know if there is a consensus for Ethilla. Thanks in advance.

Posted by Zeegers on 15-01-2010 09:43

#14

Jaakko is 1000 % correct (typo at first, but given the quality of ID, I leave it): Ethilla. And there is only one: aemula.
I had only a female in my collection. The colouration of the male is very distinctive !

Theo

Posted by Jaakko on 15-01-2010 10:17

#15

Oh, cool! I need to start playing lottery...

The calypters pointed to right direction and not so many options afterwards. However, I never know how many species exist in Portugal that are not included in the Central European key.

Posted by ChrisR on 15-01-2010 10:23

#16

Very nice fly! :D But I never understood that couplet in the key: "#145 - Area of the calyptrae near the outside edge balloon-like convex" ... Can someone illustrate or describe the 2 alternatives because to me the outside edge of the calyptrae are always convex?? :o

Posted by Stephen R on 15-01-2010 10:59

#17

Sounds like it's not the outline but the surface of the calypter that balloons out instead of being flat.

Posted by ChrisR on 15-01-2010 11:17

#18

That would be more logical ... but calypters are usually not dead flat at the best of times ... probably needs a better choice of words perhaps :)

Posted by Stephen R on 15-01-2010 11:32

#19

I suppose 'balloon-like' means that these ones are inflated more than usual. 'Area' in it's correct sense does refer to a surface, but because it is sometimes used loosely to mean just 'part', it might have been clearer to write 'surface' instead.

Posted by ChrisR on 15-01-2010 12:33

#20

Hmm, maybe Jorge could take more close-ups of one calypter from various angles so that we can see it properly :)

Posted by Zeegers on 15-01-2010 20:21

#21

No no, it is already exellently illustrated in the last-but-one picture.
Carcelia and some Winthemia have more or less the same.
The calyptra is like it is blown from below by a jet, convex and then sharply dropping near the edge.
The white part is convex, the dark part (shady) is the drop.

Theo

Posted by Jaakko on 15-01-2010 21:02

#22

This feature is one of those things that comes obvious when one sees it... The calypter edge is like in a frisbee.

Chris: You don't have any of the Paratryphera over there? P. barbatula is rather common around here, I could have included some in your parcel if I knew!

Posted by ChrisR on 15-01-2010 22:53

#23

Zeegers wrote:
The calyptra is like it is blown from below by a jet, convex and then sharply dropping near the edge.

OK so to combine Stephen & your descriptions a better wording might be that the upper surface is balloon-like convex with sharply drooping edges ... I think I understand now ...

It doesn't help that the species that follow that side of the couplet are all quite unusual ;)

Posted by ChrisR on 15-01-2010 22:58

#24

Jaakko wrote:
This feature is one of those things that comes obvious when one sees it... The calypter edge is like in a frisbee.

Chris: You don't have any of the Paratryphera over there?

No Paratryphera here (sadly) - they have never been recorded in the UK :( Never mind though - save me one for another time :D

I think now I understand what the couplet is trying to describe. It just wasn't all that well translated into English I think - I will improve it and I might even throw in your frisbee analogy ;)

Posted by viktor j nilsson on 15-01-2010 23:21

#25

Zeegers wrote:
No no, it is already exellently illustrated in the last-but-one picture.
Carcelia and some Winthemia have more or less the same.
The calyptra is like it is blown from below by a jet, convex and then sharply dropping near the edge.
The white part is convex, the dark part (shady) is the drop.

Theo

But isn�t the dark part of the calypter rather the dark area on the abdomen showing through? I do think I understand what you mean though, but it is a little bit confusing picture nonetheless.

Posted by Stephen R on 16-01-2010 12:03

#26

As a violin maker I know the difficulty of assessing a 3D surface from a still photo. I think Viktor has a point about the dark area in the penultimate picture, but to my eye the third image in the series has the most information because the highlights are well exposed. There are two shadows from the wing, but discounting them my impression is of the shape Theo describes, not like a frisbee but with an abrupt transition between the inflated area and a thickly reinforced rim.

Posted by Zeegers on 16-01-2010 12:17

#27

The main point is that in most Goniini / Eryciini the strong downward part at the other edge is lacking, but it is present here.
Since in most Goniini / Eryciini this is lacking, the abrupt transition fold is also lacking.

Theo

Posted by jorgemotalmeida on 16-01-2010 21:42

#28

Thanks very much to all intervenients for your inputs. Indeed I checked the specimen and fits perfectly all Theo told.
Thanks specially to Jaakko for the great ID.

Edited by jorgemotalmeida on 16-01-2010 21:43