Is this hoverfly Melangyna barbifrons?

[Geoff F]

I am still working my way through my old unidentified images and rediscovered this hoverfly from August 2008.



Originally I just noted 'possibly a badly marked Melanstoma sp.' but I'm having a rethink of former photos now, aided by Mr. Stubbs's hoverfly book, and I am wondering if it might be Melangyna barbifrons or M. quadrimaculata.

In my S. Devon garden, 25 August, but that is possibly a bit late for either species, although I think M. barbifrons could just be possible here in the 'deep south'.

My thinking (or lack of it) relates to only 4 oval pale yellow spots, hind legs black with faint paler 'knees', thoracic hair rather long and black.

Only the one quick photo I'm afraid.

So any ideas, or could this be one for the Hoverfly Recording Scheme?

[JRsbugs]

Hi Geoff, I'm probably sticking my neck out to be cut off now we have a syrphid expert here .

This does look to me like a male Platycheirus albimanus but you really need to see the front tarsi.

Diptera.info - Photo Albums: Platycheirus albimanus (male) (1)

Awaiting Roger...

Janet

[Geoff F]

Yes Janet, I did start off by thinking about a Platycheirus species but it is just having 4 spots which is confusing me; although as I already mentioned, it could be a 'faulty design' specimen.

It may be the angle but I thought the abdomen looked a touch short for P. albimanus. Somehow I suspect this may remain an unconfirmed species.

And I've just been having some second thoughts about some of my Sphaerophoria photos as well, so I think I'm going to have quite a bit of thinking to do with my image rechecking!

[JRsbugs]

I'm having the same problems trying to fit some of my syrphids in to a genus.

In the end I might just post them and let Roger decide!