Diptera.info

Posted by Jan Zwaaneveld on 02-04-2007 21:25

Photographed yesterday at Leerdam, Netherlands. Length appr. 5-6 mm. I've never seen this one before. I think it is Muscidae (or is it Anthomyiidae again? - I never seem to get those two right). Could anyone tell me more about the id of this fly?

Thank you in advance!

Posted by Jan Zwaaneveld on 03-04-2007 11:47

Thanks, Nikita. Any chance to take this one to genus level? We have only two genera in the Netherlands: Fannia (40 species) and Piezura (2 species).

Anyway, another new family for me :)

Posted by Robert Nash on 03-04-2007 12:57

No sign of ornamentation or strange shape on the mid-tibia (often seen in other Fannia) and there is a trace of yellow at the base of the abdomen (just about visible in the first photo).This could be F. canicularis (Pictured by Nikita in the Gallery). Was this fly close to houses? The other species excepting F. scalaris the latrine fly are not urban and males mostly found flying in zig-zag patterns below tree branches (also zig-zag flight in canicularis but indoors). New family. Yes:D but these used to be in Muscidae as subfamily Fanniinae.
Slainte Robert

Edited by Robert Nash on 03-04-2007 13:02

Posted by Jan Zwaaneveld on 03-04-2007 17:04

Hi Robert, I found it against one of our outside walls in an urban area (town of Leerdam). I saw it again today, but I couldn't take any more pictures, unfortunately.
So I was close with Muscidae after all :D (and it's still a new family, in more than one way as I understand now!)

Posted by Kahis on 03-04-2007 20:29

I'd say Fannia canicularis is the best bet. For the record, the european Piezura species are all-yellow forest dwellers, very different from this fly.