Aug 302011
Another week, another tune! Sarah Brightman’s The Fly
It’s also time for another ID Challenge:
Time to earn some more BioPoints! Provide as many taxonomic or biological notes you can think of, and I’ll dole out the points! Good luck!
(I’m taking a page out of Ted’s book and turning on moderated comments so everyone has a chance at some points!)
11 Responses to “Tuesday Tunes – The Fly – Sarah Brightman”
Comments (11)
Nice song! I won’t be answering this question because I know this picture. But I’d keep an eye out for challenges in the future, since I missed the previous one!
Thanks for checking and playing fair Ani! I’ll make sure you’re eligible for the next challenge, no worries!
Looks like Diptera: Hippoboscidae: Ornithomyinae (Bird louse flies)to me. Member of this subfamily are mainly bird feeding parasites. Interestingly the females produce one larva at a time and retain it inside there body (i.e. are pregnant) until the larva is ready to pupate. She then lays the egg (usally in or near a host nest) and the larva pupates.
Excellent synopsis of ovoviviparity in hippoboscids Chris, further evidence that flies are far and away the coolest insect order!
Agreed, coolest by for sure!
Hmm flat head, beak, hairy cheeks, fat thighs, looks like a member of Hippoboscidae to me, but I wouldn’t like to guess any further than that! Oh heck a guess doesn’t cost anything, Pseudolynchia canariensis because I suspect it’s the Hippoboscid most likely seen (and google image search throws up a lot of stuff which looks a lot like the one you’ve pictured.
I shot a Hippoboscid recently which came complete with mallophagan lice hitch-hikers. (Mine had green legs so I don’t think it was this species but I’ve not worked out precisely what it was)
Those photos are fantastic Laurie! Love the profile shots of the head especially. Thanks for sharing them!
Oh I love Sarah Brightman:) As for ID I am going with Hippoboscidae, at least I think that’s what it is
Glad you liked the song Miles, and good job on the ID!
It’s definitely a hippoboscoid, and probably a hippoboscid. The gait of the two front legs is a dead give-away, also the ptlinal suture, and the characteristic proboscis.
Thanks for playing Matt, and good job on the ID and sharing how you arrived at it!