Tiny wingless insect, can someone ID?

[Gerel]

Originally Posted by shardman

Gerel: I considered thrips (I've come across a few recently) but I couldn't find any mention of a brachypterous form, have you heard of these?

There are many, ( thrips_imago ) but none have legs (or eyes) like your beastie (that I can see) feel free to disregard my comment

ATB

Steve

[JRsbugs]

There was a mention of Epidapus on bugguide, but that depended on a critical feature being a sclerotised band between the eyes. However, I searched for that and found drawings on delta-intkey but that one doesn't show the antennae, only the scape. There is a list of the genera present which might be useful to search.

British Insects: Diptera Families - Sciaridae

[JRsbugs]

A step further.. check the link for Epidapus venaticus in the chapter 'Flightless flies'..

The Earth Life Web, The Fly Page (Diptera)

As it was mentioned by John Carr (who posts on diptera.info and knows a great deal) on bugguide that he knew of only two wingless sciarids with an eye bridge, if you could find the eye bridge you might be onto something.. as Epidapus venaticus is from "The British Flies" by Theobald 1892.

I found this is a synonym of Epidapus atomarius

http://eunis.eea.europa.eu/species/146030

[shardman]

That's brilliant, thankyou!

I've just had a look at it again and it does appear to have an eye bridge. I'm absolutely sure, the size and condition of the specimen mean it is hard to get a clear view but would this potentially narrow it down to one of two species? There don't seem to be many wingless flies in Britain to choose from!

[JRsbugs]

I don't have the literature to say anything for certain, but it does seem that way. Of course bugguide is for North America, but many insects are common to both. The best way to find out more is to post on diptera.info, giving it a suitable title to attract either John Carr or a European expert who study this field.