Diptera.info

Posted by Juergen Peters on 11-07-2007 21:00

Hello!

Andreas Haselb?ck asked me to post these photos here, taken today in a thistle bush in Germany (Main-Taunus-Kreis, near river Main). I thought of a Physocephala species, but not P. rufipes. Perhaps P. chrysorhoae? But I'm not sure. Can anybody help? Thanks!

Posted by Jan Willem on 12-07-2007 07:31

Hi J?rgen,

I first thought:

You are right about this specimen not being Physocephala rufipes. With the key I end up at either P. chrysorrhoea of P. vittata. P. chrysorrhoea should have a silvery stripe at the side of the thorax from the base of the wing to the base of the middle leg. It is very well possible that this silvery stripe is present but not vissible in the position in which the picture is shot. I found that P. chrysorrhoea has been found on Blackberry and Asteraceae (= Compositae); P. vittata often on Thymus. As hosts of Physocephala chrysorrhoea Bembex intergra and Philanthus triangulum are known; as hosts of P. vittata Bombus pascuorum and B. lapidarius are known. Given the plant on which you found your specimen, Physocephala chrysorrhoea fits best.

But after having a good look again (after reading the respons of Gisela on www.insektenfotos... :)), I have my doubts about Physocephala. Looking at the wing venation, it might be Conops. And again, the silvery stripe is one of the important characters used for identification:(.

I will leave it for someone who realy knows Conopidae.

Jan Willem

Edited by Jan Willem on 12-07-2007 07:45

Posted by Juergen Peters on 12-07-2007 14:54

Hello, Jan Willem!

Jan Willem wrote:
But after having a good look again (after reading the respons of Gisela on www.insektenfotos... :)), I have my doubts about Physocephala. Looking at the wing venation, it might be Conops.

Yes, I was not happy with Physocephala, the fly looks rather "conops-like". But I had never seen a Conops like this, with so much red and so few yellow, and the picture of Conops vesicularis (Gisela's assumption) did not match it very well. But she writes the specimen in the gallery is a male, which shows significant sexual dimorphism. So I would be happy if someone could confirm Conops vesicularis (female?) for this fly. Thanks!

Posted by caliprobola on 12-07-2007 15:25

maybe take a look at the Conopidae key on the website of Mark Van Veen. In the gallery here is also a Conops vesicularis male, this looks quite different. This specimen surely looks more like a Physocephala, but i'm no expert...

Edited by caliprobola on 12-07-2007 15:41

Posted by Gisela Merkel-Wallner on 12-07-2007 17:49

Hello,

as I know, Conops vesicularis is the only species of Conops in Germany, that has red in the body. In my collection I have male and female of this species. The males look like the picture in the Diptera Gallery, the female like the photos of this posting.

Best regards
Gisela

Edited by Gisela Merkel-Wallner on 12-07-2007 17:50

Posted by Guenter on 12-07-2007 18:00

It is definitely NOT Conops vesicularis which has its "Front reddish brown with reddish brown design" and a "Proboscis strong, only a little longer than head".

To me it also looks more like a Physocephala, but I'm not sure.

If it is Conops:
There is another red species ocurring in central Europe (according to Chvala it has been reported from Austria and Hungary plus an unreliable report from Bohemia. Assuming that the specimen belongs to Conops it is more probably Conops flavifrons. The silverish hind borders of T3+4, the yellow frons, the yellow legs and the long, black proboscis all fit Chvala's description of C. flavifrons, exept the wings which should be "hyaline or only a little yellowish"

Edited by Guenter on 12-07-2007 18:08

Posted by Paul Beuk on 12-07-2007 18:55

#12

I think it is Physocephala vittata: The narrowest point of the abdomen is at the posterior margin of the second segment and crossvein r-m in my view is far beyond the middle of the cell posterior of it; there appears to be no silver line on the pleura (though the humeri are silvery dusted) and the face appears to be completely yellow.

Posted by Mark van Veen on 13-07-2007 09:52

#15

I am sure Paul is right. It is a Physocephala given the wing venation and the shape of the abdomen. It is not chrysorrhoea, which has as silverish stripe on the side of the thorax. The yellow face makes it vittata.

Posted by Juergen Peters on 13-07-2007 18:53

#16

Mark van Veen wrote:
I am sure Paul is right. It is a Physocephala given the wing venation and the shape of the abdomen. It is not chrysorrhoea, which has as silverish stripe on the side of the thorax. The yellow face makes it vittata.

Thank you all again! So I can tell Andreas it is Physocephala vittata