[NatureNS] Odd Fly

References: <6.2.1.2.0.20061018212446.01e33158@pop1.ns.sympatico.ca>
From: c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca
Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2006 19:11:05 -0300
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
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Hi Angus,

On 18-Oct-06, at 9:39 PM, Angus MacLean wrote:

> I believe I can see the haltere on this creature, so a fly, but the  
> abdomen is so oddly shaped (like a wasp) and brightly coloured that  
> I wonder. Unfortunately I was only able to get this one photo  
> before it flew. Does anyone know what it is?
>
> http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=273483144&size=m
>
> The abdomen suggests a Robber Fly but the wings appear too small/ 
> frail.

This is another syrphid fly. It is a member of the genus  
Sphaerophoria. See for example:

http://www.veluwe-insecten.nl/zweefvliegen/sphaerophoria/ 
sphaerophoria.html
http://popgen.unimaas.nl/~jlindsey/commanster/Insects/Flies/SpFlies/ 
Sphaerophoria.interrupta.jpg

We have a large assortment of these species in our collection.  
Unfortunately, almost all of them are labeled (by Vockeroth who  
determined the series in 1971) as Sphaerophoria species (i.e.  
unidentified) or Sphaerophoria sp. nov. (i.e. an undescribed species)  
although there are a couple of specimens of Sphaerophoria philanthus  
Mg. So, at this stage, Sphaerophoria sp. is as far as I can go with  
the determination.

All the best!

Chris

_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._. 
_.
Christopher Majka - Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History
1747 Summer Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada  B3H 3A6
(902) 424-6435   Email <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca>
_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._. 
_.


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<HTML><BODY style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; =
-khtml-line-break: after-white-space; ">Hi Angus,<DIV><SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-style-span"><BR><DIV><DIV>On 18-Oct-06, at 9:39 PM, Angus =
MacLean wrote:</DIV><BR class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE =
type=3D"cite"><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">I believe I can see the haltere =
on this creature, so a fly, but the abdomen is so oddly shaped (like a =
wasp) and brightly coloured that I wonder. Unfortunately I was only able =
to get this one photo before it flew. Does anyone know what it =
is?</DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><A =
href=3D"http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=3D273483144&size=3Dm">http=
://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=3D273483144&amp;size=3Dm</A></DIV><DIV=
 style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">The =
abdomen suggests a Robber Fly but the wings appear too =
small/frail.</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV>This is another syrphid fly. It =
is a member of the genus <I>Sphaerophoria</I>. See for =
example:</SPAN></DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><A =
href=3D"http://www.veluwe-insecten.nl/zweefvliegen/sphaerophoria/sphaeroph=
oria.html">http://www.veluwe-insecten.nl/zweefvliegen/sphaerophoria/sphaer=
ophoria.html</A></DIV><DIV><A =
href=3D"http://popgen.unimaas.nl/~jlindsey/commanster/Insects/Flies/SpFlie=
s/Sphaerophoria.interrupta.jpg">http://popgen.unimaas.nl/~jlindsey/commans=
ter/Insects/Flies/SpFlies/Sphaerophoria.interrupta.jpg</A></DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-style-span">We have a large assortment of these species =
in our collection. Unfortunately, almost all of them are=A0labeled (by =
Vockeroth who determined the series in 1971) as=A0<I>Sphaerophoria</I> =
species (i.e. unidentified) or=A0<I>Sphaerophoria</I> sp. nov. (i.e. an =
undescribed species) although there are a couple of specimens =
of=A0<I>Sphaerophoria philanthus</I> Mg. So, at this =
stage,=A0<I>Sphaerophoria</I> sp. is as far as I can go with the =
determination.</SPAN></DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>All the best!</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Chris</DIV><DIV><BR><DIV> =
<P style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face=3D"Times" =
size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px =
Times">_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._=
._._._.</FONT></P> <P style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT =
face=3D"Times" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px Times">Christopher Majka =
- Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History</FONT></P> <P style=3D"margin: =
0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face=3D"Times" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: =
12.0px Times">1747 Summer Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada<SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 </SPAN>B3H 3A6</FONT></P> <P =
style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face=3D"Times" size=3D"3" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Times">(902) 424-6435 <SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">=A0 </SPAN>Email &lt;<A =
href=3D"mailto:c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca">c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca</A>&gt;</F=
ONT></P> <P style=3D"margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face=3D"Times"=
 size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px =
Times">_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._=
._._._.</FONT></P>  </DIV><BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>=

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