Diptera.info

Posted by piros on 17-07-2015 20:52

Found near Faliraki, Rhodes island, on 18. 06.2015. They look more like Stomylomyia tenella than S. europaea to me. Can someone ID these flies?
Thanks in advance!
Best regards,
Henrik

Edited by piros on 26-11-2015 18:57

Posted by piros on 20-11-2015 15:26

I post two more pictures from the same location (different specimens) in the hope they may help decide whether this fly is S. tenella or S. europaea.

Edited by piros on 20-11-2015 20:36

Posted by Piluca_Alvarez on 20-11-2015 16:48

Henrik, as you don't get any reply to your questions I am going to give you my opinion although probably I shouldn't ;) as I am not truly an expert.

I am used to seeing Stomylomyia tenella here in Spain. The keys separate this species from S. europaea by the distictive greyish longitudinal stripes of mesonotum and white tomentum on the first abdominal segment (all these lacking on S. europaea).

Your species seem to have very diffuse grey tomentum on mesonotum and no white tomentum at all on the first abdominal segment. So, I am inclined to think it is S. europaea. But I have never seen this species alive neither I have material to compare with :( so I cannot give a positive ID. Sorry :|

I am adding a picture of a male Stomylomyia tenella from Spain. The features the keys mention can be seen in this picture. Hope this is of any help. Wish you luck and you get the reply of a real expert in Bombyliidae :) I only have the Iberian species reasonably under control.

Posted by piros on 21-11-2015 20:42

Thank you very much Piluca! Actually, I have already given up on this, so I greatly appreciate your help! Yes, your picture helped a lot, and I am absolutely convinced that your ID is correct, this sp. is Stomylomyia europaea.

As for not truly being an expert, please have a look at what Theo Zeegers once wrote:

http://www.diptera.info/forum/viewthread.php?thread_id=64183&pid=272526#post_272526

Would you, please, also have a look at my other threads about Bombyliidae from Rhodes, if you can? (You know, there is a saying in Hungarian, which would translate something like this: “If you give them your little finger, they want your entire arm”. :D)
Kind regards,
Henrik

Edited by piros on 21-11-2015 20:43

Posted by Piluca_Alvarez on 21-11-2015 21:06

Hi, Henrik

Glad of being helpful somehow! :)

About the expertise, well, he is the typical example of what I consider an expert ;) So, just imagine what I consider myself ;)

I shall do my best with your other Bombyliidae but I cannot promise I am going to be as successful as with this one ;) I only plead you a bit of patience because I need to check keys. As I told you, I don't know the fly fauna from Rhodes.

piros wrote:
You know, there is a saying in Hungarian, which would translate something like this: “If you give them your little finger, they want your entire arm”. :D

There is exactly the same saying in Spain! :D :D