![\"\"](\"http:\/\/tachinidae.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Tachina-grossa-wing-annotated.jpg\" "\\"Tachina-grossa-wing-annotated\\"")
<\/a>Questions that you will come across in the keys:<\/h3>\n\n- Does the wing have a petiole?<\/strong> This is often described in other ways, such as whether wing cell R5 is open or closed or whether the median vein meets r4+5 before the wing margin \u2026 but essentially it is the same test. The median vein runs out towards the wing edge and then (in most tachinids) bends forward. It then usually just meets the wing edge just below the point where vein r4+5 also touches the wing edge, but occasionally it meets r4+5 earlier, creating a short stalk or petiole that continues to the wing edge.\u00a0Here are some examples of wings without petioles:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/tachinidae.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/wing-not-petiolate-Eurithia-consobrina-male-dorsal-2011-10-18-12.00.23-ZS-PMax-300x225.jpg\" "\\"wing-not-petiolate-Eurithia-consobrina-(male,-dorsal)-2011-10-18-12.00.23-ZS-PMax\\"")
<\/a>![\"\"](\"http:\/\/tachinidae.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/wing-not-petiolate-Actia-pilipennis-male-lateral-2011-11-01-13.46.52-ZS-PMax-300x225.jpg\" "\\"wing-not-petiolate-Actia-pilipennis-(male,-lateral)-2011-11-01-13.46.52-ZS-PMax\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nand here are some examples of wings with strong petioles:<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/tachinidae.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Wing-petiolate-Catharosia-2011-10-20-14.44.16-ZS-PMax-300x225.jpg\" "\\"Wing-petiolate-Catharosia-2011-10-20-14.44.16-ZS-PMax\\"")
<\/a>![\"\"](\"http:\/\/tachinidae.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/wing-petiole-Phasia-hemiptera-female-dorsal-2011-10-23-20.34.18-ZS-PMax-300x225.jpg\" "\\"wing-petiole-Phasia-hemiptera-(female,-dorsal)-2011-10-23-20.34.18-ZS-PMax\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nOccasionally the median vein meets r4+5 at the wing margin (so not petiolate but also not open either) but the key couplets should allow for this.<\/p>\n
[insert photos of examples meeting at the wing margin \u2013 some Eriothrix etc.]<\/span><\/p>\n\n- Is vein m-cu at approximately 45-degrees to the cubital vein?<\/strong> This one should be easy with practice and it is a great way to quickly spot Voriini in any sample (Voria<\/em>, Athrycia<\/em>, Cyrtophleba<\/em> etc.). If you haven\u2019t seen this feature before though it can be a bit tricky but the secret is not to ponder too hard \u2013 if it is strongly angled then you will know it \u2013 if you are struggling to work out whether it is 45-degrees or more like 60-degrees then it probably isn\u2019t angled. Here are some examples:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
[insert photos of Voria wings]<\/span><\/p>\n\n- Does the median vein \u201cdisappear\u201d?<\/strong> On some species (eg. Actia lamia<\/em> & Ocytata pallipes<\/em>) the median vein disappears or peters out before it reaches the wing margin. This is a rare feature and is usually easy to see:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
and here are some examples of wings with strong petioles:<\/p>\n Occasionally the median vein meets r4+5 at the wing margin (so not petiolate but also not open either) but the key couplets should allow for this.<\/p>\n [insert photos of examples meeting at the wing margin \u2013 some Eriothrix etc.]<\/span><\/p>\n [insert photos of Voria wings]<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n
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