Diptera.info

Posted by Graeme Cocks on 16-01-2016 05:37

Can anyone suggest a genus for this Tabanidae? Biting my leg, Townsville, Queensland.

Posted by Zeegers on 16-01-2016 12:44

Hi Graeme,

I see you still have the death penalty for biting legs.

Could you please check whether the basicosta are bare or with small bristles. ?
It is the small scale at the base of the wing (anterior margin, so at the base of the costa).

Theo

Posted by Graeme Cocks on 16-01-2016 19:42

Hi Theo. Yes will do. I should have notes on basicosta from a previous post.

Posted by Graeme Cocks on 16-01-2016 21:04

My interpretation is that the basicosta is bare.

Posted by Zeegers on 16-01-2016 21:29

I agree.

So now for the ocelli: are there functional ocelli present ?
And does or does not the hind tibia have preae-apical spurs ?

Theo

Posted by Graeme Cocks on 16-01-2016 22:01

Hard to say, but my guess would be the ocelli are none functional.

Posted by Graeme Cocks on 16-01-2016 22:16

There is an apical spur, but does preapical mean there is another one?

Posted by Graeme Cocks on 16-01-2016 22:20

My mistake. That is the mid leg I enlarged in the previous picture. This is the hind leg.

Posted by Zeegers on 17-01-2016 09:19

#10

No the ocelli are present and the spurs are OK, there is no difference between " apical" and " prae-apical", for some reasons we use the last.

So this is in Chrysopsinae, not in Tabanninae ! Surprise ! Something like Pseudotabanus. Need to work on that.

Theo

Posted by Zeegers on 17-01-2016 13:30

#11

I have nothing similar in my collection, so we need to work our way through Mackerras', key.

Could we get a frontal picture, showing the calli ?

Eye are bare ?

Theo

Posted by Zeegers on 17-01-2016 13:41

#12

And a lateral of the head would be nice, showing the palpus.

My predictions;
* Subcosta hairy below
* you are between Townsville and Rockhampton

In which case it is the female of Pseudotabanus distincta.

Theo

Posted by Graeme Cocks on 17-01-2016 19:19

#18

Theo, I have put it into your tube.

Posted by Graeme Cocks on 17-01-2016 20:37

#19

I am not familiar with the palps of diptera, but these look quite small, well compared with lepidoptera anyway.

Posted by Zeegers on 18-01-2016 12:41

#20

Thanks, Graeme. Then I will stop torturing you.

What about your locality ? Is it indeed between Townsville and Rockhampton ?

Theo

Posted by Graeme Cocks on 18-01-2016 18:33

#21

The location is Townsville.

Posted by Zeegers on 19-01-2016 13:05

#22

Well, that qualifies for this species !

Theo

Posted by Graeme Cocks on 19-01-2016 17:33

#23

Thanks Theo. Pseudotabanus distincta - female it is then.

Posted by Graeme Cocks on 19-01-2016 17:45

#24

ALA has a P. distinctus, I'll assume it's the same.

Posted by Zeegers on 19-01-2016 18:24

#25

Yes, it should be -us, indeed.

Theo