Large Black Fly - Cuterebra

Female Cuterebra tenebrosa?

Wow! Nice find. For sure a female by the distance between the eyes. There are all dark females for Cuterebra approximata, C. tenebriformis, and C. tenebrosa. C. approximata is generally found north of you in CA, NV, UT, and CO and up to Canada. I don't like this ID for yours because this species has a more punctate frons (ie pits that show up between the eyes when seen from above). Females of tenebrosa and tenebriformis are really tricky as they are both black and very similar, and similar in ranges. Both these species use Neotoma (ie wood rats) as a host. Generally most records for C. tenebriformis are in CA and NV. C. tenebrosa is more wide ranging and has been found in AZ. So without seeing this one in the hand, I have to lean toward C. tenebrosa female. Would love specimens of these guys, it would be nice to be able to compare DNA of the three species. Great find. Thanks for posting. Hard to be 100% on these two species. The males of all three species are very different and a bit easier to ID.
Jeff Boettner
PS let me know if you have it as a specimen? Happens to be a tough bot to ID from pics.

… George "Jeff" Boettner, 1 May, 2012 - 6:05pm

Thanks George

Interesting. We don't have a specimen, but if I see it again this year, we'll try to collect it. We do have many wood-rats and Kangaroo rats around (as well as Desert Cottontail Rabbits and Harris Antelope Squirrels, and rare Rock Squirrels.) I appreciate all of your help and time.

… Lon Brehmer and Enriqueta Flores-Guevara, 1 May, 2012 - 6:16pm

I wonder if this could be Cut

I wonder if this could be Cuterebra albipilosa, which appears to have the same facial markings (as much as is visible anyway) and perhaps abdomen. I've added another photo showing the wings better and a little bit of the abdomen. Thanks!

… Lon Brehmer and Enriqueta Flores-Guevara, 1 May, 2012 - 12:43pm

Moved

Moved from Flies.

… v belov, 1 May, 2012 - 8:07am

Moved for expert attention

Moved from ID Request.

I suspect you're right.

… Ken Wolgemuth, 30 April, 2012 - 6:45pm