freshly emerged fly - Tephrochlamys

Moved

Moved from Flies. See photo 2 for ID.

… Lynette Elliott, 6 February, 2013 - 6:35pm

Moved for Further Contemplation

Moved from ID Request.

Lynette,
I normally don't even attempt to get involved with flys, but these photos are too cool to even contemplating 86'ing. Trying to research the taxonomy of "Schizophora," I see why Steve referred to as 'sport'. Schizophora doesn't even qualify as a 'non-taxon', but simply as a 'section' for describing Diptera with ptilinal suture. I'm ready to get back to my moths, as this all sounds like screwy taxonomy to me :)
Robert

… Robert Lord Zimlich, 30 January, 2013 - 5:02pm

Unranked

While not necessarily given a formal rank, Schizophora is one of the most important natural groups of flies.

Nematocera is all flies other than Brachycera.

Orthorrhapha is all Brachycera other than Cyclorrhapha.

Aschiza is all Cyclorrhapha other than Schizophora.

Acalyptratae is all Schizophora other than Calyptratae.

The last word in each sentence names a natural group (sharing a common ancestor).

… John F. Carr, 6 February, 2013 - 6:42pm

Defining features

I should have listed the defining features of each group, which gave them their names.

Brachycera have short antennae. The name means "short horn."

Cyclorrhapha emerge from the pupal skin by a circular seam.

Schizophora use a bubble on top of the head to emerge from the pupal skin, which is how I identified this one as Schizophora, and the resulting scar is visible on the face of mature adults.

Calyptratae have big calypters.

These characters are easy to see but they all have exceptions. Taxonomists have justified the exceptions with other characters.

… John F. Carr, 6 February, 2013 - 9:47pm

Set Theory

Interestingly, this could be setup as a Boolean expression. Thanks for breaking that down, as your explanation makes more sense than anything I found online.
Z

… Robert Lord Zimlich, 6 February, 2013 - 9:35pm

Schizophora

… John F. Carr, 26 January, 2013 - 1:54pm

Thanks John

Images needed or frass?

… Lynette Elliott, 27 January, 2013 - 8:34pm

Nice to save

as it shows the Ptilinum clearly. And that's a big deal taxonomically and (we presume) evolutionarily.

… Steve Pelikan, 28 January, 2013 - 5:21pm

Schizophora

OK, thanks Steve. I can't seem to find Schizophora in the guide, so I don't know where to move these.

… Lynette Elliott, 28 January, 2013 - 6:22pm

I think

someone (or I can guess) can do better eventually.

John's ID was accurate but also a sport --- the bulb/pouch on the front of this newly emerged fly is the ptilinum and, seeing that, John said "flies that have a ptilinum" (schizophora/ cyclorapha).

Even before pumping up their wings, these flies pump up this pouch with fluids and this helps open the puparium in which they metamorphosed.

I'm having a hard time with it since wing veins help me a lot with flies.

I'm sure someone will recognize it...

Best!

… Steve Pelikan, 28 January, 2013 - 6:40pm

Schizophora

Schizophora is the name for the group of flies that inflates a balloon on its head to pop out of its shell. It includes Calyptratae and Acalyptratae.

… John F. Carr, 28 January, 2013 - 6:39pm

Ah ha

Well I don't know if it will help at all, but I'll post the adults I photographed on the same barn on that day.

… Lynette Elliott, 28 January, 2013 - 7:02pm