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Photo#390839
Sphaerophoria maybe? - Sphaerophoria sulphuripes - female

Sphaerophoria maybe? - Sphaerophoria sulphuripes - Female
Santa Clara, Santa Clara County, California, USA
April 30, 2010
This one appears to have all of the transverse yellow lines broken, a rather protruding face with the appearance of an "O" shaped mouth saying, 'Oh, No!'. It is a female, obviously in a family way. One question I have is whether the appearance of wedge shaped notches towards the anterior of the body, giving the body a resemblance to an accordion are actual or perceptual only (due to the perception of shadows and highlights instead of simply coloration). This notched look is more evident in some frames than others (e.g. #3).

Images of this individual: tag all
Sphaerophoria maybe? - Sphaerophoria sulphuripes - female Sphaerophoria maybe? - Sphaerophoria sulphuripes - female Sphaerophoria maybe? - Sphaerophoria sulphuripes - female

Moved
Moved from Sphaerophoria.

 
Thanks, Hartmut!
For the ID to species!

Moved
Moved from ID Request.

Posting
I suggest that you move it out of ID request following these suggestions

 
I am perfectly capable of moving it...
...I have found I get more responses from posts in ID request than I do if I move it to some other location. Since I am hoping for input as to the species, it therefore makes more sense to me to post it here and wait for input. If I get none I will eventually move it to what I believe is the correct level...

...unless I forget to.

I have noticed a trend to whisk things out of ID request as quickly as possible. This may have some value from the stand point of being more accurate. But it doesn't usually help me with ID's.

I mentioned the broken transverse lines because I did not see that in most of the specimen in S.

I was hoping to get some sort of input. If I move it to a genus that is very well represented it will probably just be buried there and I will never get a response.

 
Diptera
I know what you mean. I usually post bees to ID request because that is where they are taken care of. However with other groups I have found out that it is better to post them to Diptera, Coleptera, etc. In this case Diptera or Syrphidae are probably better bets; I know that some people check those rather than ID request.
Beside, you can see that the guidelines are to post them in ID request only when you are not sure of anything.

 
Not that I doubt you...
...but I don't recall reading that. The general impression that I had was that the aim of the sight was to collect data, and provide information, and retain a repository of images and commentary of a unique nature. Photo's that cannot be seen anywhere else.

The accessibility of the information provided by this site along with the presentation and commentary permits, for example, someone such as myself actually learning.

I don't want editors to have to waste there time moving images, but I prefer if someone agrees or disagrees with my initial guess before I move something. That's my strategy for learning.

As it is, I guess you agree with Sphaerophoria!

 
???
I didn't say anything about Sphaerophoria; I wouldn't be sure of that. I suggested placing it either in Diptera or perhaps better Syrphidae, following the guidelines here which I mentioned in my previous comment. You have a better chance for a Diptera expert to see it and perhaps you avoid unnecessary moves based on guesses.

 
I am fairly sure this is Sphaerophoria...
...I've seen many very similar images. It would seem that this one is not as well marked as most others. If you believe it is not Sphaerophoria, than I could move it up a level, but it looks good to me.