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H. velutina seems to be the species you get if you can exclude everything else. The only one I'm not sure I can exclude is pilipes. Which one is it - or is it even an other one ? (From woodland in Belgium, 19-7-1998) Don't mind the eyes, they look a bit strange, it is not a large jowl you see ... Joris

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Nobody ? I'm leaning more to pilipes now, but other opinions are welcome. Or is it impossible to say from the pictures? I found another similar one in my collection and I can make extra pictures or check other characteristics if they can give a definite solution. Thanks, Joris

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Hello

Coming back to this one, if you have the specimen perhaps you can answer the following questions which should help us to get to the species


Femur 2 with a tuft of bristles and long setulose hairs in the basal ½ of the ventral side

Femur 2 with spines - if yes how many and where

Are pre ac present, how many pairs? this is an important point check also for bristle sockets

Number of av setae on tibia 3

How many p setae on tibia 2, a phot would be useful to check for fine hairs

Number of pd and pv setae on tibia 3

Does tibia 3 anteroventrally on apical 2/3rds and posteroventrally on about middle 1/3rd have conspicuously long setulose hairs

Check that femur 1 has tubercles on ventral surface at apex

Is the posterior katepisternal seta remarkably long

A photo of the basitarsus on leg 2 and the abdomen would also be useful

Thanks

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Hi Joris.
It is H. velutina, though 19.7 is a little bit late for this species. H. velutina is one of the few common Hydrotaea and it is really unpleasant that it is placed in the end of the key after excluding all the rest species. I'm working now on the new key for Palaearctic Hydrotaea, but velutina is really Hydrotaea nothing-special!
In your case we can exclude H. pilipes (uncommon species) for following reasons:
upper parafacials dusted (glossy in pilipes)
t2 without ad (present in H. pilipes)