Posted by Sundew on 06-08-2016 01:25
#1
Hi,
This evening I watched a female Lauxaniid moving slowly over a
Tilia leaf and sucking up liquefied food. It was a member of the
Minettia fasciata group, according to the key by Merz (2004,
http://www.dipter...z_2004.pdf) probably
M. fasciata s. str.
Pregnant females may have very swollen abdomina, but this one had an unusual shape. As Merz writes, the pleurae on level of tergites 4-5 show a conspicuous black glandular area, and this area was strongly bulging on both sides. Additionally, there was a dark appendage on the right area that looked like a scabbed wound. May the fly be parasitized? Has anyone seen something similar and knows the reason for this kind of deformation? Thanks for any hints!
Sundew