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Diptera.info :: Identification queries :: Diptera (adults)
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Mating Flies on Cactus, Arizona, United States
Stephen
#1 Print Post
Posted on 07-08-2006 23:43
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Location: West Virginia USA
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Joined: 12.04.05

I photographed these two flies in early morning in early May. The place was the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona, USA. I didn't get a measurement.

The photo had some technical problems so I have delayed posting it. Finally today I worked on it some and here it is.

Are they Syrphids?

As always, thanks for the ID help with these!
Stephen attached the following image:


[66.18Kb]
--Stephen

Stephen Cresswell
www.americaninsects.net
 
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Tony Irwin
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Posted on 08-08-2006 02:01
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Location: Norwich, England
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Yes, they're syrphids, and such a cute pair! Cool
They are in the genus Copestylum, which includes a number of species associated with decaying cacti. The long, downward-pointing face is reminiscent of Volucella (very familiar to European dipterists), and some species of Copestylum were originally placed in that genus.
Edited by Tony Irwin on 08-08-2006 09:18
Tony
----------
Tony Irwin
 
Stephen
#3 Print Post
Posted on 08-08-2006 11:10
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Tony, thanks for your help with this one. I had suspected they might be desert-specific, but didn't have any evidence. Nice to get an ID.
--Stephen

Stephen Cresswell
www.americaninsects.net
 
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Gerard Pennards
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Posted on 08-08-2006 11:24
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Yep, Tony is quite right.
This could be Copestylum isabellina, which is known from decaying cacti. There is a picture of a female depositing her eggs on a cactus on Bugguide.
Btw, there more you go south in the Americas, the more species of Copestylum you will find. There are a few hundred species in South America, of which a lot of them are until now undescribed by science!
greetings,
Greetings,
Gerard Pennards
 
Stephen
#5 Print Post
Posted on 08-08-2006 11:42
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Thanks, Gerard. Moments before you wrote I had posted the image at BugGuide to see if anyone from the western US recognized the species. I too, paused at C. isabellina at BugGuide! Thanks again for your help with these flies.
--Stephen

Stephen Cresswell
www.americaninsects.net
 
www.americaninsects.net
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17.08.23 16:23
Aneomochtherus

17.08.23 14:54
Tony, I HAD a blank in the file name. Sorry!

17.08.23 14:44
Tony, thanks! I tried it (see "Cylindromyia" Wink but don't see the image in the post.

17.08.23 12:37
pjt - just send the post and attached image. Do not preview thread, as this will lose the link to the image,

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Tried to attach an image to a forum post. jpg, 32kB, 72dpi, no blanks, ... File name is correctly displayed, but when I click "Preview Thread" it just vanishes. Help!

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Has anyone used the Leica DM500, any comments.

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