Fly ID

[Tormentil]

Is this a ?Muscidae sp.

[Jason Green]

Afternoon Ben,

Anthomyiidae I'd say. As ever John or Laurence will have a (much!) better-experienced viewpoint - but most likely a genital jobbie for species.

Take care,

Jason

[Tormentil]

Thanks Jason. I thought I was getting better at recognising Anthomyiids/Muscidae.

Back to the drawing board me thinks.

[Jason Green]

Both these groups are pretty similar I find. Going by jiz the abdomen seemed to stick-out as being quite narrow and looking more Antho than Musc, which is all I went by. Very scientific!

Personally I tend to overlook these when out in the field with just a camera, or else I'll end-up with a huge folder on my hard-drive of unidentifiable flies. When I'm better-experienced with keys, microscopy and genitalia (ie. not for a long long time!) I'll think about collecting and studying them that way.

Still, they make good subjects to photograph with the way there are so many individuals around and can help familiarise yourself with their external anatomy given their size. Occasionally, you may still get one that can be identified to genus, I suppose.

[Tormentil]

Originally Posted by Jason Green

..... I'll end-up with a huge folder on my hard-drive of unidentifiable flies. ....

So would I, if it weren't for the likes of you, Laurence & John.

[oxycera]

I think its an anthomyiid, but as I said the other day in another post, although I can instantly distinguish an antho from a muscid under a lens, from photos I am often uncertain - but I only started Calypterates this year, Lawrence may well have a more developed sense of 'jizz'.
This one is a female so I wouldn't give it a second glance
I agree with Jason's comments.