Posted by stephan on 13-05-2005 08:57
#1
Hi,
For my 1st post in this forum, i would like to share this fly i never saw before. Do you know more about it ?
Taken in the Calanques, near Marseille, south France on 10/05/05.
Regards,
Stephan
Posted by Paul Beuk on 17-05-2005 11:55
#2
I will hazard a guess to the genus and maybe this will lure someone out who has a better knowledge of these beasties than I have. I think it could be a species of
Coenosia, family Muscidae.
Posted by Kahis on 17-05-2005 15:50
#3
Perhaps Paul ment to say
Phaonia or
Helina? The general habitus on
Coenosia is completely different (eyes not approximated on frons etc.).
Phaonia and
Helina are large genera and reliable identification from photos is often impossible.
Nonetheless, this particular male looks like the
Helina reversio (Harris). My Finnish specimens of this very common fly have a darker thorax, but comparison of dead & dried material with photographs or living flies can be very confusing (and fun).
H. reversio is also infamous for its subtle but extensive variabilty - it has been descibed over and over again by various authors. Its distribution covers all of Europe (from Crete and Portugal to the mid-alpine zone in the arctic!).
Posted by Paul Beuk on 17-05-2005 15:55
#4
No, I am afraid I meant
Coenosia because it resembled a few images I came across. But like I said, I hoped it might lure someone out into this thread who does know more about it than I do. You took the bait. :D