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Trying to identify a male Tachydromia using Collin's 1961 Empididae, I got to T. stigmatella, but the palps on mine have a distinct terminal bristle and Collin says this species doesn't. Can anyone suggest what others have a very long third antennal segment and black arista, please? It was swept from limestone grassland (Great Orme, N. Wales) in September.

Other characters that match Collin's description of stigmatella are:
Thorax shining black.
Frons shining.
Pleurae with grey pilosity, except mesopleurae and sternopleurae are shining black.
Acrostichals uniserial (unless they are two rows very very close together).
Abdomen shining black with grey pubescence (though not noticeably denser on 4th and 5th tergites).
Legs reddish (Collin says yellow) with darker patch on top of the middle of the middle femora.
Middle femora stout with two rows of short black bristles beneath (and longitudinal row of three longer finer hairs/bristles on my specimen).
Hind femora slender.

What are the ungues, please? Collin says these should be short and conspicuously black.

Thanks in anticipation,
John Bratton

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I cannot give a simple answer. After 1961 there have been quite a few changes, among other that the gnus is now called Platypalpus.
It would be helpfull to have one or more images...

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Thanks. I don't think my camera can do the job, though.

John

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If you are a member of the Dipterits Form check out their web site. I placed a provisional key to the British species there. It includes all the (many) additions to the UK fauna since Collin.
Re photo's:- you're wasting your time trying to det many Tachydromia from a photo.
Cheers
Adrian

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Well, it is interesting to know which genus we are really talking about. Is it Tachydromia sensu Collin (= Platypalpus) or is it Tachydromia in its present sense?

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Thanks for pointing me to the key. As it is to the 15 British species of Tachydromia in the present sense, how do I tell if mine is one of these or a Platypalpus, pleae? Do the Platypalpus come out in a block in Collin's key?

John

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Has your fly bands on the wing, are they infuscate or are they clear?

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The wings are entirely clear. Attached is a sketch of the 3rd antennal segment and arista, both black. I thought the length of the segment would narrow down the possible species.

This is probably getting tedious for the rest of the readers. Shall we continue by e-mail?

Thanks,
John

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That's Platypalpus. To be certain about the ID I think it will be necessary that someone has a look at it with some recent literature. Perhaps Adrian can do that?

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Thanks. I'll hang on to it until I'm visiting an expert.

John