Diptera.info

Posted by Filex on 08-01-2008 22:40

Hi again

This fly was shot at about 1600 m altitude in the Montseny mountain, Barcelona (NE Spain). It was in a bushy slope just outside the beech-fir forest.

Thanks to orientate me towards the family/genus!!

Miquel

Edited by Filex on 08-01-2008 22:56

Posted by jorgemotalmeida on 08-01-2008 22:43

Bombyliidae! WOWZERS! such a beauty!

that head is something!

Edited by jorgemotalmeida on 09-01-2008 10:26

Posted by jorgemotalmeida on 08-01-2008 22:44

wing venation very peculiar! I will check it out in Seguy's keys.

Posted by Filex on 08-01-2008 22:50

I forgot to say it was found at the end of June 2007.

Posted by jorgemotalmeida on 08-01-2008 22:50

Conophorus sp. I think

Posted by jorgemotalmeida on 08-01-2008 22:52

I will take a big risk: Conophorus virescens.

Posted by Nosferatumyia on 08-01-2008 22:55

Seems to be a Conophorus sp. But that genus is ca. 50 sp. large, and I have nothing to do w/ Bombyliidae. :o

Posted by jorgemotalmeida on 08-01-2008 23:05

Nosferatumyia wrote:
Seems to be a Conophorussp. But that genus is ca. 50 sp. large, and I have nothing to do w/ Bombyliidae. :o

Description of Seguy fits very well with the above fly:
"C. virescens FABRIcruS. - KERT?SZ, V, 106. --Bomhylius virescens auct.
B. maurus ~IJKAN. -P(oas vlrescens "MACQUART, 1.826: 376 et 183~, l, 385,
1. P. /atus DUfOUR.P. hirticornis auct. (non LATR.). - Fig. 558,565,608.
Brun noir ou noir verd?tre. Front blanch?tre ou jaun?tre. Antennes :
articles I-ll gris. Thorax ? pilosit? rousse ou blanch?tre, .pleures blanch?tres.
Scutellum d?nud?, d'un noir tr?s luisant, ? ?cailles jaunes ? la
base. Pattes ? ?cailles jaun"ll.tres et blanch?tres. Ailes rembrunies ? la
base; nervures transversales bord?es de brun. Abdomen d'un noir ver.
d?tre. pilosit? jaun?tre i 3-5 touffes noires lat?rales vers la base; sternites
d?nud?s, bord?s lat?ralement de touffes de poils jaun?tres."

Check the scutellum - bare and bright dark! it has some very small microtrichia - I cannot realize which colour has, though.

Check the antennae - bare and grey (the last 2 segments). Conophorus should have a swollen basal antenna segments, AS we can see here very clearly.

Check the scutum - with whitish macrotrichia

Wing venation fits very well with C. virescens.

I wish to see those sternites. They are bare in C. virescens.
Of course, in Mediterranean it is not easy.
So it will be a wild guess: Conophorus cf. virescens.
And Val you are right: there are many species for Conophorus in Mediterranean region... to be sure it would be nice to have the specimen. :)

Edited by jorgemotalmeida on 09-01-2008 10:23

Posted by jorgemotalmeida on 08-01-2008 23:14

wing venation according to the Seguy for C. virescens

Posted by Filex on 09-01-2008 00:03

#10

Jorge, I suppose you mean Faune de France 13. I have followed it also after the genus was pointed out, I also arrive to virescens.

Fauna Europaea lists about 9 species for Portugal, Spain and France mainland. About 2/3 of these species are keyed in S?guy's work.

Thanks!

Posted by jorgemotalmeida on 09-01-2008 00:23

#11

Don't trust in fauna europaea. There is lack of info about species and it is not updated. There are much more species than simply 9. ;)

Posted by David Gibbs on 09-01-2008 10:24

#12

Conophorus cf. virescens is as cloce as i can get as well. Looks very like my specimen from southern Spain. However, a specimen will be needed to be sure.