Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Trypetoptera punctulata (Sciomyzidae) couple on Vincetoxicum
Posted by Sundew on 02-07-2012 15:50
#1
Hi,
Some days ago I watched these lovely flies on a
Vincetoxicum hirundinaria plant. I know that Tephritids like
Euphranta connexa have Asclepiadoids as host plants, but I could not ID this one, so help is greatly appreciated!
Many thanks, Sundew
Edited by Sundew on 02-07-2012 16:20
Posted by Nosferatumyia on 02-07-2012 16:06
#2
Dear Claudia: wonderful love scene, but this is
Trypetoptera punctulata (Sciomyzidae), who came to Asclepias stem just for this gymnastics. Otherwise, this fly is famous as the "faked fruit-fly", for both Bernhard Merz, Ian White (and myself) in the very beginning of tephritidologist's career tried to ID it using tephriti keys. Results were the same, and always very strange!
:)
Posted by Sundew on 02-07-2012 16:19
#3
Ha - the little beasts fooled me!
Trypetoptera I know from this location, but the one I took photos of in last summer had much bigger white spots on the wings and looked not so dark. Somehow I felt that these were no "good" Tephritids, but Ulidiidae was the wrong choice, too... That won't happen twice!
Many thanks for your quick help indeed.