---

Russia, delta of Pechora (68,5N), semi-salt water beach, 10 July, about 7-8mm.
Could somebody help with this fly, please?

---

Perhaps Heterocheila buccata?

---

Thank you Paul, but according short and old key I have, it isn't. Rather Helcomyza, but it isn't good fit with H.ustulata, the only species I have short discription.
Nikita

---

LoL, I guess I am confusing names now...

---

Do you mean that you agree with Helcomyza?

---

Nikita, ocellar bristles (i assume that those bristles come from ocellar zone. it seems) well developed so this is a Heterocheilidae. Heterocheila sp.

frontal bristles well developed supports the idea for Heterocheilidae family. ;) Also the wings don't show strong bristles along the costa, where you only can find in Helcomyzid flies this feature. ;)

Try to see the prosternum, if bare > confirms Hetero, if not, very bristly.. it is Helcomyzi... I'm pretty sure this is Heterocheila sp. ;)

---

and we have in Europe only one species known for this genus... lol only one species for the family! :o So Paul was right,. ;) H. buccata.

---

Nikita, your fly seems to have a costal break and rather well developed calypters (maybe I'm wrong, you'll correct me). Maybe an anthomyiid ?

---

anthomyiid?? :o they are not so bare in lateral thorax. :| besides anal vein doesn't reach wing margin.

I saw a habitus for Heterocheila specimen and fits 100% :)

---

besides katapisternum should have AT LEAST 2 bristles and it is clear that it hasn't. I don't agree with Anthomyiidae. I reckon in Heterocheilidae due the reasons gave above. ;)

---

Stephane put doubts in my mind, really "costal break and rather well developed calypters". On the other hand - 2-3 distinctly outcurved orbitals and somewhat very vague dc: may be 2+5, may be 0+2. May be female of some crazy Spilogona?
(may be - Spilogona, crazy - surely!)
Nikita in doubts :o

---

this cannot be an anthomyiid. :o I think you are just pushing the rope. :P

The same is true for heterocheilids!

where are the 2-3 strong bristles in katepisternum that all anthomyiids should have? (usually they have 3.)

---

Well, looking at the second antennal segment, it certainly looks like a calyptrate fly.

---

Yes Jorge, I should have use the term muscoid rather than anthomyiid...;)
But if it really has a costal break, it cannot be neither Heterocheleidae, nor Helcomyzidae, that's the point I especially wanted to bring up.

---

:S hmm.. they really have no costal break. Sorry.. Nikita, are you sure that costal break is present? can you take a more approach photo for the costa? thanks! :)

---

ah! uff!! I thought I was crazy! One certainty I have: this is not anthomyiid. :)

---

yes... those antennal segment and calypters worried me . :@ And both helcomyzids and heterocheilids are acalyptrate.. however I know that there are acalyptrate flies with calypters. :) Nevertheless, all of this fly resembles strikingly a Heterocheila sp. :S

---

Well, to me it looks like Nikita's fly has at least two katepisternal bristles, and an anal vein which reaches the margin (at least as a crease), and clearly has a typical calypterate 2nd antennal segment. Nikita - can you rename the thread as "Wierd anthomyiid?" to get Mike Ackland's attention?
Jorge - where did you see the habitus of Heterocheila which this so strongly resembles? Does it look anything like this? -
http://www.dipter...to_id=2579

---

Tony - see figure 321 in Oosterbroek book. (but now I'm convinced this is a calyptrate fly).

Sincerely, I don't see any strong bristle in katepisternum. The white pin had damaged part of the katepisternum and created a fence. But only Nikita can confirm us if there is any strong bristle. If really the fly has 2 bristles on katepisternum, I need new lenses. :) (to be sure: i'm not being sarcastic!)

At least, this fly was and it is very curious! And it cheated me very well. :( better to stay quiet in this one for now. :) At least, I had a great lesson on dipterology with this one.

More times I see this one, this is or muscid or anthomyiid.. but one very, very unusual. :S

---

This is what I think are the bristles (see the purple arrows)
I agree that the Oosterbroek head figure looks a bit like this, but I think it looks more like
http://www.funet....cata-1.jpg

---

hmm... Now I never forget about the Heterocheila. :) And with a conspicuous clypeus! :o fabulous. Unmistakable, indeed.

better wait for Nikita confirmation. But really it seems some kind of bristles, but with this resolution it is better not take risk.

Thanks, Tony, for your answer. :)

---

Dear colleguaes,
1. I promise to find answer sooner or later and let you know.
2. Vein A looks long on photo, but short really. Katepisternal setae as Tony showed.
3. I don't think it is Anthomyiidae, most of all becuase leg chaetotaxy (very very week indeed) remind Limnophora type.
4. As a first step I asked opinion of Vera Sorokina, she works with Spilogona genus.
Nikita

---

Fly came back to me without ID.
I tried again myself -
it is Villeneuvia (or, if I overlook hairs on prosternum - Neolimnophora).
Anyway, species level requires material to compare and male collected, I'll try both next season.
Nikita