Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Ephydridae >Axysta cesta

Posted by Jan Wind on 01-04-2016 22:34
#1

Today 1 april found a 2mm small fly. Face dusted, frons shining, one frontal directed outwards, very conspicuous punctuated abdomen. Could this be a Cnestrum lepidopes?
Location central Netherlands.

Edited by Jan Wind on 02-04-2016 13:12

Posted by Jan Wind on 01-04-2016 22:35
#2

picture 2

Posted by Jan Wind on 01-04-2016 22:35
#3

picture 3

Posted by Jan Wind on 01-04-2016 22:36
#4

picture 4

Posted by Jan Wind on 01-04-2016 22:36
#5

picture 5

Posted by Tony Irwin on 01-04-2016 23:38
#6

I'm not very familiar with Cnestrum, but this looks very like Axysta cesta

Posted by Jan Wind on 02-04-2016 00:23
#7

Thank you very much Tony !!
Best regards,
Jan Wind

Posted by Jan Wind on 02-04-2016 12:18
#8

Jenns Herman Stuke 2010 Ephydridae Niedersachsen und Bremen says Axysta could be confused with Cnesta at first glance. So I tried to find out the differences between Axysta and Cnesta which both have a coarse punctuate abdomen.

Axysta one notopleural (anterior notopleural is missing) Cnesta two notopleurals
Axysta tergite 4 length very large and more than 3x length tergite 5, while Cnesta length tergite 3 as long as length tergite 2 +4 combined
Axysta costa extends slightly beyond vein R4+5

From the above my fly is clearly Axysta . The biotope I found it was a dry area but only less than 5 m from a flooded areas with shallow standing water with gras and Juncus. So it is probably more related to the shallow waters than to the dry area.

picture from the notopleural (sorry 2 mm fly is allmost too small for my 40 x enlargement microscope)

Posted by Jan Wind on 02-04-2016 12:19
#9

picture of wing costa

Posted by Jan Wind on 02-04-2016 12:20
#10

picture of tergite see length tergite 4