ChrisR ← Chris' blog ← Page 6

Quadratosoma sp. (Bolivia)

Sep

2010

This is one of my favourites from the batch of Bolivian tachinids that Martin Hauser kindly gave me earlier in the year. Determined by me and confirmed by Monty Wood.

Neomintho macilenta (French Guiana)

Sep

2010

This genus is related to the multi-fissicorn genera, like Cryptocladocera & Cerotachina (all members of the Neominthoini but most do not have multi-fissicorn antennae) . This species is distinguished by having a completely black T5. Determination by Monty Wood.

Oestrophasia sp. (Costa Rica)

Sep

2010

Determination by Monty Wood.

Parepalpus sp. (Bolivia)

Sep

2010

Determination by Monty Wood.

Pennapoda & Xanthomelanodes sp. (French Guiana & Bolivia)

Sep

2010

Pennapoda & Xanthomelanodes are very commonly caught genera – being part of a group of very similar phasiine genera with shaded a costa and often with orange abdominal patches. Pennapoda closely related to the genus Trichopoda and both have leaf-like antero-dorsal bristles on the hind tibia, to a greater or lesser extent. Determination by Monty ...

Phasia sp. (Brazil & Bolivia)

Sep

2010

Determinations by Monty Wood.

Phyllophilopsis sp. (Panama)

Sep

2010

Determination by Monty Wood.

Leskia sp. (French Guiana & Ecuador)

Sep

2010

Leskia is a diverse and quite common genus. Determinations by Monty Wood.

Macromya depressa (Costa-Rica)

Sep

2010

This is a large and very striking fly – Monty Wood has confirmed the genus ID and I made the ID to species.

Masiphya sp. (Ecuador)

Sep

2010

This is a pair of Masiphya sp. – mantid parasitoids:

Moreiria maura (French Guiana)

Sep

2010

This is quite distinctive little species – similar to Leschenaultia but different. Determination by Monty Wood.

Myiopharus cf. nigrita (Bolivia)

Sep

2010

This is a really lovely little woolly species with silver face and pale grey abdominal dusting. Determination by Monty Wood.

Gonia crassicornis (French Guiana)

Sep

2010

This is apparently a common species around the Caribbean. Determination by Monty Wood.

Jurinella sp. (Costa Rica & Ecuador)

Sep

2010

Determination by myself & Monty Wood.

Jurinia notata & Jurinia sp. (French Guiana & Bolivia)

Sep

2010

Determinations by Monty Wood. EDIT (6/8/2011): After a trip to the BMNH I now believe that the first specimen is probably Jurinia notata.

Epalpus sp. (Bolivia)

Sep

2010

Determination by myself & Monty Wood.

Eucelatoria sp. (Bolivia, French Guiana)

Sep

2010

This is a very distinctively marked genus. Determinations by Monty Wood.

Copecrypta (Bolivia, French Guiana)

Sep

2010

These 2 flies are either Copecrypta or a genus very close to it.

Chlorohystricia sp. (Costa Rica)

Sep

2010

This beautiful fly was given to me by John & Barbara Ismay who caught a few while in Monteverde, Costa Rica, after the 2010 International Diptera Congress. This genus belongs to a very unusual tribe (the Polideini) that look very similar to the Tachinini but that have a very distinctive metathoracic spiracle – made up ...

Chrysoexorista sp. (Bolivia & Brazil)

Sep

2010

This genus is one of my favourites, but from the rather drab greasy-looking colouration you might be forgiven for wondering why? However, their gorgeous metallic green colours only show in life or when freshly removed from alcohol – but when they have dried out the colours are all lost and all that is left is ...

Tachinid Recording News

How to identify greenbottles in photos September 15, 2019
There are a few greenbottle tachinids and one of them (Chrysosomopsis aurata) is incredibly rare so I thought it might be worth showing how to identify it from the others. It is on the wing in late summer so could be easy to confuse for commoner species: Hairy eyes and strong erect bristles on […]
Tachinids that look like Eriothrix rufomaculata August 18, 2019
Eriothrix rufomaculata is an incredibly common fly in mid-summer, especially on any flowery meadows. The species is very easy to identify from the red abdominal side-patches, silvery face with projecting mouth edge, long costal spine, slightly shaded wings with a small petiole on the median vein. The only problem is that several other, rarer, […]
A quick guide to the new UK phasiines August 17, 2019
This year we have been lucky enough to receive records for 2 new species to the UK – Ectophasia crassipennis & Phasia aurigera. These both bear a resemblance to Phasia hemiptera and have been confused with them in the past so I thought I’d put together a few pointers on how to spot them. […]
How to split Tachina fera type tachinids in photos August 17, 2019
One of the most difficult problems is how to confirm/verify the identification of photos of flies that look quite like Tachina fera. I’d include in that group any of the following species: Tachina fera, Tachina magnicornis, Nowickia ferox, Linnaemya vulpina, Peleteria rubescens, Peleteria iavana & male Nemoraea pellucida. They’re all fairly large, bristly flies […]
Dexiosoma caninum vs Dexia vacua August 6, 2019
I always find that one of the hardest identifications to make from photos is the split between Dexiosoma caninum and the much rarer Dexia vacua. Dexia vacua is so rare that many experts thought that it was extinct in Western Europe so getting good, reliable records from photos is very important because it seems […]