| Phaonia subventa (Harris, 1780) |
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Scientific name: Phaonia subventa (Harris, 1780) Common name: French name: Order: Diptera Family: Muscidae Wingspan : 6-8 mm. Biotope: Wooden areas and other habitats with dense vegetation. Geographic area: Europe, from Scandinavia in the north south to Sicilia and Crete, the Azores. Observation period : March to November. |
The members of the Phaonia genus show a strong postero-dorsal bristle located at one third length near the apex of tibia 3. There is also a typical bulge on the outer edge of the wing. Phaonia subventa shows a greyish thorax with two rather broad longitudinal pre-sutural black stripes (width of these stripes being at least 2/3 of the middle greyish area width in between). There are two pre-sutural acrostichal bristles (they are close the median axis of the first thoracic segment). The scutellum is orange yellow with a wide greyish base (sometimes missing). The abdomen is orange yellow. The legs are orange yellow and bear one posterior bristle on tibia 1 and two posterior bristles on tibia 2. Females have well separated eyes. They are close to each other on males. Phaonia rufiventris shows a completely orange yellow scutellum. There is no posterior bristle on tibia 1 and three posterior bristles on tibia 2. Phaonia bitincta shows a thorax with much thinner pre-sutural longitudinal black stripes (not more than 1/3 of the greyish band separating them). The arista bears rather long hairs (at least the width of the third antennal segment). They are shorter on Phaonia subventa (maximum 2/3 of the width of the third antennal segment). |
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There is no doubt for the Phaonia genus as we can see the postero-dorsal bristle before the apex of tibia 3. You can distinguish one posterior bristle on tibia 1 so that discard the Phaonia rufiventris species. This is more difficult to evaluate on tibia 2. I can only see one posterior bristle, 2 are need for the Phaonia subventa species and 3 for the Phaonia bitincta species. I have decided for Phaonia subventa because of the thickness of the pre-sutural black stripes on the thorax but there is still a small doubt for Phaonia bitincta. |
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This upper side view shows the colour of the scutellum and the thickness of the black pre-sutural stripes on the thorax. |
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Front view. You can clearly see the posterior bristle on tibia 1 and the thickness of the black pre-sutural stripes on the thorax. |
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This picture is a merge of 4 photos with small focus gaps. I am happy with the result which is a sharp picture (got using the CombineZP software). I could use it for a large size print. |
André Bon January 2022