The Society for the study of flies (Diptera)
Affiliated to the British Entomological and Natural History Society (BENHS)
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#1 2011-07-10 22:55:55
- bacchus
- Registered user
- Name: Array Array
- Registered: 2011-07-10
- Posts: 2
bulletin spring 2011
On page 9 there is a picture purporting to be Sphaerophoria loewi however this picture shows a species with yellow antenna not black, is this a mistake or does the female have yellow antenna as in S. rueppellii ?
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#2 2011-11-20 13:49:21
- Roger Morris
- DF Members
- Name: Roger Morris
- From: Stamford
- Registered: 2008-02-08
- Posts: 30
Re: bulletin spring 2011
Hi
Thanks for bringing this to our attention - Looking at the photo I'm not sure I would judge the colour of the antennae - certainly look unclear.
I did look at a couple of specimens of this species from the site in question - and they certainly had black antennae, but as you say, this one looks odd.
Regards
Roger
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#3 2011-11-30 03:20:34
- John O'Sullivan
- DF Members
- Name: John O'Sullivan
- Registered: 2008-05-19
- Posts: 1
Re: bulletin spring 2011
Thanks to Roger for drawing my attention to this thread. I can confirm that the picture in question is somewhat misleading. Possibly as a result of reflected light, the third antennal segment does indeed look pale. However, other pictures of the same individual, and of another female photographed in a tube at much the same time, clearly show that the antennae are entirely black in both. The same applies to all other females and males taken at the site in 2008, 2009 and 2010. There is nothing to suggest that this important distinguishing feature between loewi and rueppellii is not entirely reliable. This example shows once again why identification from photographs alone needs to be done with the greatest of care.
Regards,
John
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