Diptera.info

Posted by Walther Gritsch on 03-11-2011 21:34

Hi

On our Danish forum (wildaboutdenmark.dk) we got this tachinid. The photo was taken by Finn Krone in an abandoned gravel pit by N�stved, Sj�lland, Denmark on 3. vii 2011.
It looks very much Cylindromyia-ish, but the venation is obviously wrong for that genus and there really aren't that many other tachinids with red abdomen to choose from, and none of those seem to fit (as I see it ;) ).
I cannot make any progress with it unless it be a freak Cylindromyia sp. - which I by the way don't believe. It's far too regular to be an aberration.
Finn made four pics all from almost the same angle, so I chose the sharpest for you to ponder!
The fly wasn't collected and no size given.

Is it possible to name the species?

Regards,

Posted by ChrisR on 03-11-2011 21:38

Freak Cylindromyia? What's freak about Cylindromyia bicolor? :P It is the only Cylindromyia with a red tip to the abdomen.

That said, if it really is bicolor then that seems a very northerly record for the species ... I have only ever received it from southern Europe. :)

EDIT: giving it another squint could it be Mintho? I don't think so - the abdomen looks too cylindrical.

Edited by ChrisR on 03-11-2011 21:40

Posted by Walther Gritsch on 03-11-2011 21:44

Shouldn't r4+5 be petiolate in Cylindromyia? Even in bicolor... It would indeed be a very northerly observation of that species. I don't think anyone has ever seen it in Denmark.

Posted by ChrisR on 03-11-2011 21:49

Hmm, it is petiolate on my specimens here ... so I'm left thinking that only Mintho fits the bill ... but it looks odd for that too ... maybe it's something in the angle or lighting that is confusing us?

Posted by Walther Gritsch on 03-11-2011 21:57

I was thinking of Mintho too but like you I don't see the abdomen as being laterally compressed. It looks cylindrical.
There are no lateral shots to confirm this, I'm afraid. But Mintho is still the least poor choise - an odd Mintho!

Posted by ChrisR on 04-11-2011 01:38

Hmm, it doesn't look like *any* of the Mintho I can find ... they have strong median bristles and they too have a small petiole. It's not Hemyda either ... I still keep coming back to Cylindromyia but ... maybe it is abberant? Needs Theo :)

Posted by Walther Gritsch on 04-11-2011 12:37

Yes, Theo is needed.
To all intents and purposes this is Cylindromyia right until cell r4+5 opened at wing margin...
In Denmark the only Mintho would be rufiventris with at least partially yellow legs and a broad dark median stripe on the abdomen.

Posted by Walther Gritsch on 10-11-2011 20:34

I try to resurrect this one. Should we really be content to see it descend into oblivion :)
Is it a perfectly aberrant Cylindromyia or is it something else? I have seen many (at least many pictures of) Cylindromyia, but never one without a stalk on r4+5, so I'm quite puzzled...

Edited by Walther Gritsch on 10-11-2011 20:35