Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Tachiniscidia africana (Tephritidae: Tachiniscinae)

Posted by Jaakko on 23-10-2012 13:29
#1

Dear all,

Couple of these came with some tachinids reared from lepidopteran hosts in Uganda. Does not ring any bell, even as a family. Association with a lepidopteran host (Hypocretia - ??) might be an error. I also could not retrieve anything from the google with the host name...

Thank you in advance,

Jaakko

Edited by Jaakko on 24-10-2012 07:54

Posted by Jaakko on 23-10-2012 13:32
#2

Size ~5mm, no hpl bristles but otherwise quite bristly. Mouthparts reduced but present.

Posted by Paul Beuk on 23-10-2012 18:26
#3

I'd still start searching in Tachinidae, but a dorsal shot would be useful, too.

Posted by Nosferatumyia on 23-10-2012 19:24
#4

Congratulations!!!

Tachiniscidia africana Malloch (former family Tachiniscidae, currently subfamily Tachiniscinae of the Tephritidae).

Edited by Nosferatumyia on 23-10-2012 19:26

Posted by Paul Beuk on 23-10-2012 21:36
#5

LoL

Posted by Jaakko on 24-10-2012 06:53
#6

Nosferatumyia wrote:
Congratulations!!!

Tachiniscidia africana Malloch (former family Tachiniscidae, currently subfamily Tachiniscinae of the Tephritidae).


Great, many thanks Valery! It surely looked like a Tachinid with bare eye, but under the scope the differences were obvious: no hypopleural bristles or bulky subscutellum.

Is this really a parasitic genus? There are two specimens out of 14 rearings, so I believe more might show up.

Thanks again and best wishes,

Jaakko

Posted by Nosferatumyia on 26-10-2012 13:32
#7

Yes. Tachiniscinae apparently all are parasitoids. Another African genus Bibundia has been reared from saturniid caterpillars.

Posted by Zeegers on 27-10-2012 10:20
#8

My goodness.....


Theo

Posted by Nosferatumyia on 27-10-2012 12:51
#9

Sorta "a humanoid living inside the human race"

Edited by Nosferatumyia on 27-10-2012 12:52