Fanniidae larva - Fannia

Moved

… John F. Carr, 21 January, 2013 - 6:48pm

Moved

… Martin Hauser, 13 April, 2010 - 4:17pm

I asked Adrian Pont, and he s

I asked Adrian Pont, and he said: This could be a Fanniidae larva, though I cannot match it with anything in the literature. It has the three pairs of processes on the anal segment that Fannia larvae have; also the two "radar antennae" on the head, though these are rather long. The lateral processes look a bit different from the usual form. But, as always, it is hard to reach certainty from a photograph where not everything is fully in focus.
So by now the majority of experts tend to place it as a Fannia, which would also agree with the collecting circumstances (leaf litter instead of fungus). So for now I think we should place it in Fannia...

… Martin Hauser, 13 April, 2010 - 4:17pm

Syrphidae

In my opinion, this belongs to family Syrphidae, the Platypezidae larvae have not the proceses so plumose and mebraneous, the proceses are more simple as far as I know. Yes, but the habitus is very similar indeed.

… Michal Tkoc, 11 April, 2010 - 2:30pm

sorry

Sorry for confusing, I mean Fanniidae, not Syrphidae!

… Michal Tkoc, 12 April, 2010 - 5:58am

I don't think so.

Syrphids have their posterior spiracles close together in tubes. I do not see any posterior spiracles on this specimen, of course this isn't the best angle for a view of that, but I have also never heard of syrphids having this many lateral apendages.

According to Immature Insects Platypezidae can have plumose, branched, feathery proceses, and that can also occur in Muscidae.

… Natalie Hernandez, 11 April, 2010 - 2:54pm

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… Will Chatfield-Taylor, 10 April, 2010 - 9:48am

So this is Platypezidae then?

Which is awesome! First larval pic on the guide!

… Natalie Hernandez, 10 April, 2010 - 10:29am

The only dipterist here...

seems to have doubts, so some explanation for this move would be nice.

… Charley Eiseman, 10 April, 2010 - 10:32am

Amazing larva. Could be Platy

Amazing larva. Could be Platypezidae, but some Muscidae have similar larvae. And Platypezidae should all be in fungi, whil Muscidae and related groups are often in decaying plant material... I hope you can breed them, would be very interesting to see what it is...

… Martin Hauser, 27 March, 2010 - 11:15pm

Double "wow!"

I want to know what this is, too. I had one in my samples from UMass. I can't recall offhand where I placed it, though I think Natalie is onto something....

… Eric R. Eaton, 27 March, 2010 - 12:44am

Wow, how cool :)

I looked through immature insects a little and I'm wondering if this is Platypezidae, they get these fleshy projections and are said to have a cephalic segment highly retractile, bearing palp-like sensory organs. Perhaps that's what is sticking out of the red area, which I am assumng is the head.

… Natalie Hernandez, 26 March, 2010 - 11:45pm

Platypezidae?

That'd be nice, since I haven't seen a fly in that family yet. I'll place it in a container with damp leaf litter, and see if it survives to maturity.

… tom murray, 27 March, 2010 - 6:52am

Yeah there is a nice key apparently.

By Kessel from 1973, I tried to get a copy of it electronically but its not available. Its a key based on pupae and larvae of the family. I wish I were closer to a University library!

… Natalie Hernandez, 27 March, 2010 - 2:11pm

Kessel

I have the Kessels work, but I cannot look into it now, because I am 4000 km far from home :(, but this larva resemble the larva of Lindneromyia, but the proceses of Lindneromyia are bare or with only very small "spinules". The european species of Linderomyia wich I was working with dont have these plumose proceses, only small spinules. But as we are suggesting in our article about european larvae of Lindneromyia sp. the picture of north american L. agarici in Kessels work lacks detail and as I remember, the marginal proceses are figured bare... I can send you the Kessels article after I get home (in two months).

… Michal Tkoc, 13 April, 2010 - 4:52pm