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I'm terribly sorry about the quality of these images - I had ample time to take them ... it's just some times you blow it, and some times you don't know why (appropriate f stop, ISO and shutter speed ... just no talent).

This asilid was just sitting there on a piece of wood, Réserve Naturelle de l'etang de Cousseau, Lacanau, Aquitaine, France, and it didn't want to move. I was beginning to think it dead until I applied a little 'persuasion' with a twig to see if it would move. It dropped to the ground and then spread the wings (fortunately). My lady wasn't impressed with the find so I snapped a few more picks off before she hauled me away. (I'll use that as my excuse for taking lousy pics.)

Is this an old/worn out miserable-looking Choerades gilva? I don't believe I've had it from the region (here) before, but I'd not been here in Spring before.

Thanks
Steve

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Image 2

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Image 3

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Pictures are good enough......Andrenosoma cf cyrtoxys

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Thank you Reinoud (and I am very sorry for my tardy reply)
Steve

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Hello Reinoud
What makes you sure, that this photos are showing A.cyrtoxys? Only the open first posterior cell at the wings?

Best wishes from Germany
Markus

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I am not sure, that is why I added the cf. The red spots on T IV-VII in combination with the open r5 point at cyrtoxys. . The known alternative would be A. albibarbe, but that species has a broader red spot on the back starting at T II and is a sub-alpine species as far as I know.

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Hello Reinoud

I also think that this photos shows Andrenosoma cyrtoxys. ;-) I was only interested in how you came to the species "cyrtoxys" :-D. Thank you for your answer!!!

The photos of this determination request (https://diptera.info/forum/viewthread.php?thread_id=54594) show in my opinion A. bayardi.

best wishes
Markus

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When I reacted to that thread in 2016, A. bayardi was not yet known from Spain. I guess you have read the paper by Garcia et al? It could very well be bayardi in the picture, but in my experience with Spanish asilidae, little is known and new species surface each year...

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Reinoud, also Fritz Geller-Grimm shows the key of A.bayardi. Look here: http://www.geller...drenoe.htm

A few days ago, I spoke with Fritz, because I found also an Andrenosoma species in France. ;-)

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Aha, but last year a new species has been described A. biacuminatum from Spain, so the key should be adapted. bayardi and cyrtoxys were added to the Spanish fauna in the same paper. "Taxonomic review of the species of Andrenosoma (Diptera: Asilidae) in Spain and description of a new species" 2017 García, Pérez, Portillo. I can send you the pdf if you want.

Where did you find the Andrenosoma?

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Hi Reinoud
Thank you. Yes i'm very interested to get this paper. :-)

I found the Andrenosoma last week in South-France near Montelimar (Provence). Tomorow i'll show a picture from this species here in the forum. ;-)

greetings
Markus

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I sent you some papers through info@digitale.... I will be looking forward to the picture :-)

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To add to your discussion.
Andrenosoma bayardi (Collection J.M. Maldes).

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Andrenosoma cyrtoxys
Collected on May 10 in the ripisylve of the durance in the Alpes de Hautes Provence.

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@Reinoud: Thanx you very much for your e-mail. :-) Super!

@Christoophe: Cool! Thats very interesting pictures. They show the differences between A.bayardi and A.cyrtoxys good. Do you know the length of both flies? It would be very interesting. :-)

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But the female cyrtoxys is very dark, also the red spots that are visible, are very broad....are you sure?

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The tergites are dark after drying.

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Did you also collect a male?

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No male