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Hi,

Can anyone assist further with an Id for this fly please ? The closest I found in the Gallery was Pales pavida but I do not think it is that as there are some differences.

Picture was taken in my Garden in Surrey Southern England on 25th June 2006.


Regards Chas

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With such red eyes, it is bound to be a Sarcophagidae - Sarcophagini;

and it is.

(this means you are in trouble)

Theo Zeegers

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Thanks Theo,

Again I miss the obvious - I discounted Sarcophagidae becuse of the similarity to P. pavida - When will I learn:(

Regards Chas

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Well, if the arista is plumose, your best bet is Sarcophagidae

Theo

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Thans Theo

Lets see how long I can remember that for :)


Cheers Chas

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I've always thought sarcos like this (the common ones) are pretty easy - they often have:
* reddish eyes
* long body, compared to most tachs & calaphorids
* strongly black/grey chequerboard/stripes pattern
* huge pulvilli (the soft bits on the feet)
* males have a large, obvious genital capsule
* very strong angle in vein-M
* and Theo's plumose arista, which can be hard to see in the field. ;)

Chris R.

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Chris is right, the longer body is the most prominent feature to the naked eye in the field.
HOWEVER BEWARE of Phorocera (Tachinidae) as exception: also long body. And very common.
(Of course, there are more exceptions, however, much less likely to be met by the beginner)
I never noticed the striking size of the pulvilli, the picture shows them clearly. So also lesson learned by me

Theo