Gnat with plumose antennae - Bucks 7th Feb

[Bruce Williams]

Stony Stratford, Bucks.

Size: 4.75mm

Help with identification appreciated:



Bruce

[Dogghound]

Its a male Chironomid. If thats much help, I wouldnt know where to start with Species though.

[Jason Green]

Evening Bruce,

I believe the identity of these lies in the shape of the male's genetalia - as you've photographed, so well done! I take it that is the underside? Next you'd need a key to these species (Maybe Delta-Intkey or the FSC has one?), and the process being similar to Winter Gnats - based on the shape of the outer and inner curved bits - not too sure of the technicals , but relatively straight-forward.

Maybe you'd still need a dead one under the 'scope, but that's a great image all the same - and for all I know, may be enough.

Take care,

Jason

[Bruce Williams]

Dan - Thanks for your help with this one .

Sorry Jason, the insert showing the end of the abdomen is from the top not underneath. The insect is alive and so, short of squishing it , I couldn't get a ventral shot. In fact the cropped image with the inset is actually the same shot as the pic showing the full insect.

Bruce

[Jason Green]

Ah, OK. Still, it needn't be a problem - just use a specimen jar to trap a male, and then gently turn the pot over and photograph the underside. See my related thread: [ID] Insects, please ()!, and look at the last species - the Trichocerid, where I photographed a male's genetalia ventrally.

My male ended up being annulata (typcal ), the only one of our 11-or-so Winter Gnat species that can be ID'd dorsally from good photos (where the species has a banded abdomen, clear when the wings are held apart which is infrequent). Still, I suppose my photo could have done with being closer, but with your set-up I should think you could as long as you can focus through the plastic sufficiently.

Let us know if you get one!

[Bruce Williams]

Thanks for the advice Jason - I'll give it a try.

Bruce