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Diptera.info :: Family forums :: Asilidae Forum
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Promachus cf xanthotrichus, Zambia
Will van Niekerk
#1 Print Post
Posted on 20-04-2013 13:47
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Not a clue...

Location: Chongwe, Lusaka, Zambia.

Habitat: In formerly agricultural grassland, typically near trees/logpiles.

Date: February 2013.

Size 20-22mm? Large.

Frequently seen mating.
Will van Niekerk attached the following image:


[192.23Kb]
Edited by Will van Niekerk on 03-09-2014 16:32
 
Will van Niekerk
#2 Print Post
Posted on 20-04-2013 14:05
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Different specimen, from the side:
Will van Niekerk attached the following image:


[171.89Kb]
 
Will van Niekerk
#3 Print Post
Posted on 20-04-2013 14:06
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and wing:
Will van Niekerk attached the following image:


[181.64Kb]
Edited by Will van Niekerk on 20-04-2013 14:07
 
Quaedfliegh
#4 Print Post
Posted on 26-04-2013 21:23
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A bit of a guess Promachus sp. Wing venation and the fact there is gap between the antennae.
Greetings,

Reinoud

Field guide to the robber flies of the Netherlands and Belgium: https://www.jeugdbondsuitgeverij.nl/product/field-guide-to-the-robberflies-of-the-netherlands-and-belgium/

https://www.nev.nl/diptera/
 
Mariastraat 12
Will van Niekerk
#5 Print Post
Posted on 27-04-2013 11:56
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Thanks! Genus is usually enough for me... Unfortunately, I now have two quite different flies filed as possible Promachus, from the same location, so I'm going to have to do something about this...

According to the Biosystematic Database of World Diptera, there are... several species of Afrotropical Promachus... (Madagascar endemics and one species known only from Eritrea not included)...

Promachus abdominalis (Malawi)
Promachus adamsii (Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda)
Promachus aequalis (S. A., Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Tanzania)
Promachus albicinctus (S. A.)
P. apicalis (Zimbabwe)
P. argentipennis (Sudan)
P. aurulans (Tanzania)
P. binucleatus (Ethiopia)
P. bomensis (Congo)
P. bottegoi (Ethiopia)
P. brevipennis (Uganda)
P. breviventris (Kenya, Tanzania)
P. chalcops (Tanzania)
P. cinereus (Zimbabwe)
P. enucleatus (Tanzania)
P. flavopilosus (Malawi, Uganda)
P. floccosus (Nigeria)
P. gossypiatus (Tanzania, Malawi)
P. grisiventris (Sudan, Egypt)
P. hirsutus (Zimbabwe)
P. mediospinosus (Cameroon, Nigeria)
P. negligens (Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia)
P. obscuripes (Malawi)
P. pontifex (Tanzania)
P. rapax (Zanzibar)
P. rectangularis (Eritrea, Ethiopia)
P. rex (Tanzania)
P. ruepelli (Ethiopia)
P. reuppelli (Eritrea)
P. rufescens (Sierra Leone)
P. rufihumeralis (South Africa)
P. scalaris (South Africa)
P. simpsoni (Ghana, Nigeria)
P. subtilis (Congo)
P. tewfiki (Egypt, Sudan)
P. tewfikis (Sudan)
P. transvaalensis (South Africa)
P. trichozoans (Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Nigeria, Togo)
P. ugandiensis (Uganda, Malawi)
P. xanthotrichus (Gabon, Angola, Congo, Zimbabwe, South Africa)


Now I just have to eliminate most of those!
 
Quaedfliegh
#6 Print Post
Posted on 04-05-2013 21:03
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If i can find a key to the afrotropical Promachus species i will let you know. I think Londt could have written one.
Greetings,

Reinoud

Field guide to the robber flies of the Netherlands and Belgium: https://www.jeugdbondsuitgeverij.nl/product/field-guide-to-the-robberflies-of-the-netherlands-and-belgium/

https://www.nev.nl/diptera/
 
Mariastraat 12
Will van Niekerk
#7 Print Post
Posted on 08-05-2013 15:03
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I'll look out for it, Thanks.
 
Will van Niekerk
#8 Print Post
Posted on 03-09-2014 16:30
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Belated update: found Ricardo's 1920 paper on Promachus (Annals & Magazine of Natural History, series 9, vol 5), from which this should be P. xanthotrichus.

Because of its date of publication, this does not rule out: P. aurulans (Tanzania); P. bomensis or P. subtilis (Congo); P. cinereus or P. hirsutus (both Zimbabwe); P rufihumeralis or P. transvaalensis (South Africa).

Will update again one the original sources for these have been located...
 
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