Hoverfly for id - Eupeodes latifasciatus?

MattPrince · #1 (**permalink**) 01-06-2010, 12:32 PM

Hoverfly from near Dunsdon farm (culm grassland reserve), W Devon on the weekend. Obviously flattened bodywise, and looks like other images of Hoverfly Eupeodes latifasciatus - at least to an untrained eye..

Thanks for looking,
Matt

Jason Green · #2 (**permalink**) 01-06-2010, 12:50 PM

Afternoon Matt,

I'd say it's Eupeodes corollae, the males sometimes have those centrally-joined yellow abdominal markings. I believe latifasciatus requires a microscope for identification, not genital but close examination of subtle characters, and a specimen allows for manipulation and better perspective.

Still, I don't have a corollae in my collection yet so I haven't had the pleasure of becoming better-acquainted with these yet, so wait for Roger Morris before naming it!

Take care,

Jason

MattPrince · #3 (**permalink**) 01-06-2010, 05:54 PM

Ahhh. Thanks Jason, I'd initially dismissed Corollae as the few pictures I'd seen showed strong black bars joining the horizontal ones... a bit of research and it would appear that not all examples show that.

Geoff F · #4 (**permalink**) 01-06-2010, 07:10 PM

I have an almost identical photo which I'm still not 100% certain about.

It is difficult, and probably impossible, to follow the ID keys from your small photos which don't show all the details like full leg colours.

But I think the only chance here (and on it's own it isn't 100% certain) is, do the edges of the yellow bands touch the abdomen edges?

If they do, preferably with at least 50% reaching the abdomen edge, it is probably E. corollae. If there is a definite clear black edge to the yellow it is probably E. latifasciatus. And if some of the yellow bands just touch the edge in one small spot, E. latifasciatus is still probably the most likely, but I wouldn't put any money on it!

Going by those small photos, I would think E. latifasciatus is the most likely; but have a look at the original images and see if you can get a better view. Particularly consider tergite 5.

MattPrince · #5 (**permalink**) 02-06-2010, 07:34 AM

Thanks Geoff.

Sadly these are at raw resolution - couldn't get near the little blighter

From the comments I don't think it would be wise to go further than that species pair.

The upshot is... I need to get more pictures, closer, showing wing venation, leg colour including close to the body, dorsal and ventral surfaces, face patterning .. I can see why its a lot easier with a specimen!

Geoff F · #6 (**permalink**) 02-06-2010, 07:37 PM

Yes but some species can be reliably identified from just a couple of angles.

eg. a good face shot and a wing plus hind leg will identify a lot of species. Add in a view of the front tarsus and, in many cases, that would be sufficient.

The skill is knowing what angles are required for the suspected species.

I often finding myself talking to them 'Come on you little minx, show me your leg' etc. People tell me the danger signs are when the flies start answering back!

JRsbugs · #7 (**permalink**) 05-07-2010, 08:05 PM

This looks like E. latifasciatus to me! The marks are more like 'ski' goggles, and they don't look to touch the sides.

Another pointer I have noticed is the smoky wing colour, the one I got a poor shot of (before I got my macro lens) has smoky wings but I'm not sure if that is diagnostic.

This is the one I had, and was confirmed on dipera.info.

Eupeodes latifasciatus (male) - Wild About Britain Pics