Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Nematocera Help Macrocera Keroplatidae Sciaroidea

Posted by jonrichfield on 29-06-2015 20:32
#1

A friend of mine photographed this tiny and delicate little Nematoceran. Does anyone have an idea of a tighter identification than that please?

Edited by jonrichfield on 30-06-2015 07:01

Posted by jonrichfield on 29-06-2015 20:33
#2

Here is a photo showing the antennal length:

Edited by jonrichfield on 29-06-2015 20:34

Posted by jonrichfield on 29-06-2015 20:36
#3

And finally a better view of the halteres

Posted by Xespok on 29-06-2015 20:50
#4

Macrocera sp.

Posted by jonrichfield on 30-06-2015 06:52
#5

Many thanks Gabor. You are certainly correct. I had never heard of Macrocera, nor even of Keroplatidae, so I doubly appreciate your assistance.
I was amused and slightly consoled to see that some other entomologists had gone down the same path: Ah! Ichneumo... oops! Halteres... Tipulidae... noooo...

Oh well, it is all education! Thanks again. |t

Posted by Dmitry Gavryushin on 30-06-2015 07:57
#6

With vertical brown stripe on pleurae running down to middle coxa, it's probably Macrocera lateralis Freeman, 1970.
A correction: antennae very long so it's rather M. africana Freeman, 1970 (much more widespread).

Edited by Dmitry Gavryushin on 30-06-2015 17:28

Posted by jonrichfield on 30-06-2015 19:47
#7

Thanks Dmitri, I'll pass that on. I really hadn't expected even a tentative ID at the species level.
It seems to be a remarkably widely distributed genus.