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The fly was about 8mm long. Pictured in Tanzania

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Hard to say from that angle alone, but it is either a sarcophagid or tachinid ... and my guess would be that it's a tachinid :)

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tachinid or rhinophorid?

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Well, I have no experience of the African fauna at all ... but if it was in Europe I would say that it just doesn't look like a rhinophorid :)

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Thanks Chris and Socrates.
The sharp hairlike objects at the back do resemble those of the tachinid.

So whats the main difference btn Tachinid and rhinophorid apart from the size?

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Size is not important with parasitoids in general and no good to even use as a field character between families. There is very great variability between species and within each species - because parasitoids are wholly dependent on the quality/size of their host. :)

Most tachinids have a well-developed subscutellum (bulge under the scutellum and above the base of the thorax); while rhinophorids usually have a much less-well developed subscutellum with a thin skin-like membrane making up the dorsal part. Muscids, calliphorids and sarcophagids have no subscutellum but there are some rare species of tachinid that also have no subscutellum so it gets a bit confusing even when you have a specimen.

In the field you can start by looking for calyptrate flies with strong bristles (most of the tachinid subfamilies) plus ones that have no bristles and very short hairs and which look a bit like syrphids or conopid, but with different venation (the phasiines) ;) Muscids & calliphorids usually have no more than hairs or sparse bristles; while sarcophagids are just not quite as bristly.

If they don't have an angled vein-m then 99% sure it isn't a tachinid - but there are some without the bend. Muscids usually do not have an angled vein m but the other families usually do.

From now we have even more problems because the next field features are unreliable ... just trends. Sarcophagids are often elongate flies with strong longitudinal thoracic vittae - long black & white stripes. Rhinophorids look very (and I mean very) similar to tachinids but they often have a smaller, rounder head profile and a generally darker appearance with less pale dusting on the body.

But really there is no substitute for experience. Once you have caught and examined a lot of calyptrate flies under a microscope then you will start to get a *feel* for the different families and the variation within each family. But even experts can be fooled by rhinophorids/tachinids with just a brief look.

Sorry, it probably wasn't what you wanted to hear ;)

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I think this must be a Tachinid.

Calypters are large, so probably not a Rhinophorid.

The normal size of feet and wing venaton does not suggest Sarcophagidae.

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A long and informative answer Chris. Thanks for that:)
Thanks Xespok for helping out as well.

I have another image of a fly taken at the same place, (a few cm away) a few hours before the first image shown above. I am uploading that as well as it is from a different angle and may provide more information.

Since its established that its a tachinid, is it possible to get a genus id?;)

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Different fly - this looks more like Sarcophagidae.
Other tips - male Sarcophaga (not females) tend to have very large pulvilli. Rhinophoridae tend to have very small feet (but not always!).

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I agree, the second fly has red eyes, which suggests Sarcophagidae :)

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Thanks Tony and Chris abt the 2nd fly.
If anybody can identify the genus of the tachinid it would be great, but again, thanks to everyone for the tons of info and all the help.:)

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Second one is definitely Sarcophagidae.


Theo

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About the Tachinid,
if you collect specimens, I can help you out.
But I have not enough experience to identify Tachinidae from Africa from picture (and I think, nobody might have).


Theo

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Thanks Theo.
The fly has flown away for now, but if I see i again, I will try capturing it.