Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Sciomyzidae > Dichetophora finlandica
Posted by nick upton on 26-06-2012 09:12
#1
Can any one suggest a genus / species ID for this sciomyzid? Limnia sp?? Seen perched on Woolly thistle leaves in a chalk grassland meadow.
13.6.12 9mm Wiltshire, UK
Edited by nick upton on 26-06-2012 12:54
Posted by Nikita Vikhrev on 26-06-2012 12:28
#2
Dichetophora (finlandica)
Posted by nick upton on 26-06-2012 12:53
#3
Many thanks Nikita. Dichetophora finlandica is a rare species in the UK and hasn't been recorded in Wiltshire before that I know of, but the only other species in this genus D. obliterata seems to have distinctively 2 tone leg colours. I guess these little flies are easily overlooked though!
Posted by Mark-uk on 26-06-2012 13:52
#4
Possibly overlooked - more likely people are using old keys and calling this
obliterata ?
Mark
Posted by nick upton on 26-06-2012 14:01
#5
Probably overlooked as you say and maybe the keys are misleading also. obliterata is more widely recorded.. finlandica is recorded on NBN maps for south Wales and east Anglia, so there's a good chance it's in between as well.... I can't find any habitat info for it, to know if this was typical - sitting on Woolly thistle leaves on a diverse chalk grassland reserve.
Posted by Mark-uk on 26-06-2012 14:25
#6
The large number of East Anglia records would hint that this is a fenland species?
NBN is poor for diptera records (but slowly improving). Some blame NBN, but its mostly our fault for not submitting records to them.
Posted by nick upton on 26-06-2012 14:43
#7
Could be fenland mainly, though there are a few records West of London also. Maybe just damp is the preference (and this site is near some marshy woodland and some field ponds, well filled a the moment!). I don't even know how to submit records to NBN and never have specimens for absolute proof, though I do (and have for this) use iSpot which may link to it at some stage.