What is this on fly?

Bruce Williams · #1 (**permalink**) 12-01-2010, 10:43 AM

Stockgrove Country Park, Beds - 25th Oct 2009.

Whilst I'd be very grateful for an id on this fly, my main reason for posting was to ask for info/views on the shiny, raised "thing" highlighted in the close-up pic,

Now it may be that this is a general part of a fly's anatomy that I've just not noticed before or it could just be a seed or a parasite of some kind. If it is a bit of anatomy and someone can tell me what it's called and maybe it's function I'll be most grateful - and very impressed to boot

.

Bruce

JRsbugs · #2 (**permalink**) 12-01-2010, 11:11 AM

Hi Bruce,

Very interesting find! It looks like a dipteran larva to me but I could be wrong, hymenoteran is possible. The fly looks like another Anthomyiid

. There are a lot of aquatic flies, this link I think you will find interesting, it has a section on Anthomyiids and many other families.

Aquatic Invertebrates of Alberta

Janet

Jason Green · #3 (**permalink**) 12-01-2010, 11:28 AM

Afternoon Bruce,

What a nice close-up. The part you've highlighted is the anterior spiracle, which is associated with the intake of oxygen. In the case of the Bluebottle Calliphora vicini you'll see it as orange.

See 'Wildone's' image and the orange marking

Take care,

Jason

JRsbugs · #4 (**permalink**) 12-01-2010, 11:32 AM

You could be right about it being a spiracle Jason, that's what I expected to see before looking at the pic but my first impression was there is a larve embedded.

Dogghound · #5 (**permalink**) 12-01-2010, 03:04 PM

I agree this is just the flies Spiracle.

Bruce Williams · #6 (**permalink**) 12-01-2010, 06:12 PM

Thanks for your interest and expert help on this everyone.

Jason - Thanks for identifying the object and for the helpful link to Wildone's bluebottle pic.

Janet - Thanks for the link - I have checked it out and will certainly read thru it when I get a bit of time (not much happening just now that'll it'll be sometime soon

).

Dan - Thanks for the confirmation.

Bruce

Wild-Woman · #7 (**permalink**) 12-01-2010, 06:17 PM

I'd just like to add that the picture is superb.

Bruce Williams · #8 (**permalink**) 12-01-2010, 07:24 PM

Thanks Jules

.

Bruce

Bruce Williams · #9 (**permalink**) 14-01-2010, 10:48 PM

I thought these SEMs of fruit fly spiracles quite interesting (location is consistent).....

http://jeb.biologists.org/content/vo...EB02203F1.jpeg

Bruce

JRsbugs · #10 (**permalink**) 15-01-2010, 12:13 AM

The more I look at that picture it looks like a larva embedded in the spiracle! I googled to see what I could find, read this...and don't drink any water from a stream!

Diptera.info - Articles: Two unpublished cases of myiasis

Also take a look at the images brought up with an image search for 'Anthomyiidae spiracle' A few Hymenopterans there, and they don't all attack larva, some like moist places.

anthomyiidae spiracle - Google Search