Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Life and death fly style
Posted by lynkos on 21-11-2005 07:05
#1
The victim looks like a Drosophila, but I'm less sure about the predator. Could it be a Tachinidae?
Thanks, Sarah
Posted by Zeegers on 21-11-2005 14:06
#2
Hi Sarah,
From this view the fly looks remarkably like a Tachinid, but it can't be.
A Tachinid would never (?) attack another fly.
Moreover, the abdominal pattern does not ring a bell.
So, it should be somewhere in Anthomyiidae / Muscidae.
But it fooled me for some time, too !
Theo Zeegers
Posted by Kahis on 21-11-2005 14:56
#3
The 'headhunter' is a muscid (can't say anything definite about the genus :(). I think you are right about the prey being a drosophilid.
Edited by Kahis on 21-11-2005 14:57
Posted by lynkos on 21-11-2005 16:47
#4
Thanks Theo and Kahis. I'm still very bad at distinguishing between Tachinidae, Anthomyiidae and Muscidae. I don't suppose there are any easy pointers that might help me ;)? Sarah
Posted by lynkos on 21-11-2005 17:33
#5
Could it be
Coenosia attenuata? Sarah
Posted by Zeegers on 21-11-2005 21:50
#6
Hi Sarah
The question to your answer Anthomyiidae / Tachinidae is really very simple:
nearly all Tachinidae have vein M in wing strongly curved upwards
(as in both Calliphoridae and Sarcophagidae)
hardly any Muscidae (Musca, Neomyia, ...) and no Anthomyiidae have this feature: all vein M straight.
But one can't see the wing venation in the picture, alas
Theo
Posted by lynkos on 22-11-2005 07:13
#7
Thanks Theo. Next time I'll try and take at least one picture with the wing venation showing so I can study it with calm, Sarah
Posted by Martin Suvak on 15-02-2007 12:59
#8
Details of chaetotaxy are not visible but considering its coloration (especially legs) it could be a male of Cenosia tigrina, Muscidae.
Martin