Calliphorid - Cynomya cadaverina

Moved

Moved from Tachinidae. I was hoping Joe would offer a response to my comment. If I am wrong, I have no problem with someone moving these images again. The lateral shot in particular is excellent, and identification should be no problem for an expert. I had blow fly specimens like this one identified by Terry Whitworth, who just wrote a revision of the family in North America.

… Eric R. Eaton, 3 April, 2007 - 1:45pm

Calliphoridae.

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with this identification. It is most certainly a blow fly, probably Cynomya cadaverina (formerly Cynomyopsis cadaverina). The most obvious character for differentiation is not on Joe's list. Tachinidae have a very prominent "postscutellum," which appears as a shelf-like process beneath the scutellum. That character (or lack thereof) cannot be seen in any of these images. If the specimen is still fresh, you might move a wing to get a good profile look at the scutellum and see if there is a postscutellum.

… Eric R. Eaton, 2 April, 2007 - 3:38pm

At some point I felt pretty c

At some point I felt pretty confident that I had seen a postscutellum... but after re-examining the specimen none was to be found... ... that would explain why I couldn't key this out in Tachinidae :p ...

… Joe, Entomologist (in training), 3 April, 2007 - 7:57pm

Brings up a question I've been meaning to ask.

It revolves around "move a wing".

If I were to shoot pinned or otherwise deceased flies, is there anything special to do? (I notice pinned specimens are often posted in a way that fails to resemble anything lifelike and suspect some clever reason.)Just the other day, Tony Thomas posted a cluster fly with a straight-on side view with the wings up, and I found it very enlightening.

… Ron Hemberger, 2 April, 2007 - 5:38pm

Depends:-)

I don't mean to be sarcastic or difficult. If you want a fly identified to family, a lateral ("profile") shot with the fly facing to your left, is standard. If the wings can be arranged upward, that exposes the venation and the jugal lobe (a part at the base of the wing that is often folded in repose). It also fully exposes the thorax, where all the sutures and various setae are that are helpful in identification. Sometimes it just doesn't matter. If antennae, or even some setae (bristles) are broken off, it is practically hopeless. Worn specimens are thus often very difficult to identify. Now, if you want a genus or species, get lots of head shots from varying angles, wing venation, and pay attention to any interesting details on the legs....

… Eric R. Eaton, 2 April, 2007 - 5:57pm

Good stuff, Eric

Probably the standard (live) fly photo is from the top down. I'll try to get more from the side. Also, there's a slim chance I'll be shooting a friend's rather extensive collection. Frankly, I do a lot better with live subjects.

… Ron Hemberger, 2 April, 2007 - 10:57pm

Didn't someone say, a while back, tachinids are being revised?

I remember a hold-up in ID at one point, and think it was for this reason. I don't envy you folks doing ID. Geez, more couplets than in a scene in The Tempest.

… Ron Hemberger, 1 April, 2007 - 10:00am

...seems like everything in D

...seems like everything in Diptera is being revised these days... It'll be interesting to see what the higher level stuff will be like in 5 years or so

… Joe, Entomologist (in training), 1 April, 2007 - 11:02am

A more immediate fly challenge

Joe, can you resolve the Eupeodes/Syrphus confusion? I can't help but think there's a way to solidify the ID for many posts, including several recent ones. And if there isn't, that'd be good to know, too.

… Ron Hemberger, 1 April, 2007 - 1:08pm

I wish I knew a bit more abou

I wish I knew a bit more about this group... are these sister taxa or is this convergent evolution at an extreme... if the former, I think it a bit superfluous to split such nearly identical groups on the basis of a hairy calypter... if the latter, wow!

in either case, I'm far too much of a neophyte in dipteran systematics to weigh in on it...

… Joe, Entomologist (in training), 1 April, 2007 - 4:51pm

But thanks for weighing in on weighing in!

I do realize you're in training! (It's hard to ignore that.)

… Ron Hemberger, 1 April, 2007 - 8:13pm