Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Which Platycheirus-->P. albimanus
Posted by Jogvan F on 21-01-2026 19:02
#1
Hi
I have this single male Platycheirus.
I've been using the key in van Veen, 2004. Where I end up with P. urawakensis (Matsumura) (which should be spelled: P. urakawensis).
Is it possible to determine the species by these photos?
Collected in Faroe Islands, 8. may
Best wishes
Jógvan F
Edited by Jogvan F on 24-01-2026 18:47
Posted by Jogvan F on 21-01-2026 19:02
#2
eyes
Posted by Jogvan F on 21-01-2026 19:03
#3
bm entirely trichose
Posted by Jogvan F on 21-01-2026 19:04
#4
leg 1
Posted by Jogvan F on 21-01-2026 19:04
#5
wing
Posted by Jogvan F on 21-01-2026 19:05
#6
abdomen
Posted by Jogvan F on 21-01-2026 19:06
#7
femur 1 setae
Posted by eklans on 22-01-2026 15:29
#8
Hi Jógvan, I don't have the 2004 van Veen and the 2010 key does not include
P. urawakensis.
I then tried the key in Bot, van de Meutter (2023): Hoverflies of Britain and NW-Europe and
ended up with
P. transfugus which should be restricted to "a handful of locations in Denmark". Similar species are P. immaculatus (no spots on abdomen) and ambiguus (haltere knob black).
As the haltere knob of your specimen is yellow the crucial evidence seems to be the
single black curled hair on tip of fore femur (of which I'm not sure)!
Hope it helps anyway.
Posted by Jogvan F on 22-01-2026 17:11
#9
Hi Eric
Thanks for your answer.
This specimen does not have that hair. Also the front tibia of this specimen is more strongly broadened than P. transfugus.
I did take a closer look at the bm cell which indeed has some tiny areas without trichose (not visible on photo).
So probably this is P. albimanus which is recorded from the Faroes on several occasions
Jógvan F