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C:\Documents and Settings\CAMILLE\Bureau\pho.insectes\Dipt\Mouche sur Meloe Photo Cathy-Arthropa.jpg

Which is this tiny dipterous posed on Meloe?

France

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Better attach it. Linking to an image on your local hard drive usually does not work. :P

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Hello,

I dare doing "technical part", since cthirion feels much at ease with a binocular than with a computer ;)

The original question was here (in french, sorry...) : http://arthropa.f...=last#3430

Shortly, the question was both about the identity and the behaviour of this fly (1 mm long). Several of them were found standing on Meloe sp (Coleoptera Meloidae).



It has been proposed they could belong to Ceratopogonidae ?
Are they parasitic ?

Thanks for your help,

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Yes, on both counts.

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Thanks Paul !

Are there several genera parasitic of Meloe ?
Genus Atrichopogon has been proposed on my website for this photo : what do you think about it ?

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I have nio idea what genus or genera might parasitse on Meloe

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Probably Atrichopogon (Meloehelea) winnertzi

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This subject came up on the British beetles Yahoo group a few years ago, and someone drew attention to:

Mann, D.J., & Turner, C.R. 2003.
Atrichopogon (Meloehelea) winnertzi Goetghebuer (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) feeding on Meloe violaceus Marsham (Coleoptera: Meloidae). British Journal of Entomology and Natural History 16: 7-9


Beetles of the families Meloidae and Oedemeridae produce cantharidin as a defence mechanism. This paper explores the insects attracted to cantharidin, and summarises the records of Ceratopogonids (in Atrichopogon - subgenus Meloehelea) feeding on Meloe.

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European Atrichopogon biting midges of the subgenus Meloehelea
(Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

http://pte.au.poz...i_i_in.pdf

Regards,
Patrycja