Posted by dipdip on 29-07-2006 21:08
#1
Hallo
doesn't this fly have a little to much white in the face to be carnaria? Estimated length more than 20mm.
Maja
Posted by Tony Irwin on 29-07-2006 23:57
#2
Hi Maja
Facial colour may be a guide, but is not necessarily reliable. Your specimen looks to be quite fresh (no obvious damage to the wing margin), so we expect the facial colour to be bright. As the fly ages, its colour will change, and I would expect this fly to develop a slightly yellower colour. This happens in a number of families. In the Ephydridae, some old individuals which had developed a golden, rather than a silver face, fooled one dipterist into describing them as a new species.
With
Sarcophaga, it is usually necessary to examine the genitalia to be sure of the species, and this is certainly so for the
Sarcophaga carnaria group, all of which look very, very similar.
Edited by Tony Irwin on 30-07-2006 00:00
Posted by dipdip on 30-07-2006 12:19
#3
Hello Tony
Thank you for your explanation, great help for a beginner and the kind of things we don't necessarily find in simpel books.
Thanks Maja