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 Golden Brazilian robberfly
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| bonitin |
Posted on 14-09-2010 15:37
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 Member Location: Gent, Belgium Posts: 348 Joined: 11.10.07 |
Hi, This beauty called my attention as it landed on a leaf shining in the sun like true gold, gorgeous fly! Size was around 15-20mm if I remember well Rainforest area close to the riverside near Paraty, Brazil, 14th February 2010 Anyone knows more about it? Many thanks! Myriam     |
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| ChrisR |
Posted on 14-09-2010 16:18
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 Administrator Location: Reading, England Posts: 7699 Joined: 12.07.04 |
I'm not sure but this looks very similar to one that Eric named as Lampria dives, from French Guiana:
Edited by ChrisR on 14-09-2010 16:19 Manager of the UK Species Inventory in the Angela Marmont Centre for UK Biodiversity at the Natural History Museum, London. |
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| bonitin |
Posted on 14-09-2010 16:32
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Member Location: Gent, Belgium Posts: 348 Joined: 11.10.07 |
That's already a great help Chris, it surely looks like that one! Many thanks! Myriam |
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| Eric Fisher |
Posted on 14-09-2010 18:06
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 Member Location: California Posts: 435 Joined: 19.05.06 |
Myriam, Your beautiful robber fly is Lampria clavipes (Fabricius). Eric |
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| ChrisR |
Posted on 14-09-2010 18:35
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Administrator Location: Reading, England Posts: 7699 Joined: 12.07.04 |
Out of interest Eric how does it differ from Lampria dives?
Manager of the UK Species Inventory in the Angela Marmont Centre for UK Biodiversity at the Natural History Museum, London. |
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| bonitin |
Posted on 14-09-2010 20:22
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Member Location: Gent, Belgium Posts: 348 Joined: 11.10.07 |
Thank you so much Eric! |
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| Eric Fisher |
Posted on 15-09-2010 18:04
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Member Location: California Posts: 435 Joined: 19.05.06 |
Chris, The males of these two species are readily separable (in good photographs) by these characters: Lampria clavipes -- broad anterior portion (ca. 1/3) of scutum black; long & dense golden hairs present on fore- & mid-legs; hind femur with one setigerous tubercule ventrally in distal 1/2. Lampria dives -- scutum nearly all golden pubescent (only narrow humeral areas black); fore- & mid-legs with only sparse, short pale hairs; hind femur with ca. 4 - 5 setigerous tubercules ventrally in distal half. Lampria clavipes is larger (to 20mm long) and widespread through tropical forests of much of Central & South America; L. dives is smaller (to 13mm?) and seems to be restricted to the Amazon Basin. The females are much more similar and there are many additional species of Lampria in the Neotropics! There are many named species that pertain to this complex; nearly all of these names are old -- with the types apparently lost -- and many are probably synonyms of clavipes &/or dives. However, there are also undescribed species known (from Central America at least) -- so the taxonomy of the genus is "difficult." Eric |
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| ChrisR |
Posted on 15-09-2010 18:16
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Administrator Location: Reading, England Posts: 7699 Joined: 12.07.04 |
Sounds like the usual problem of wading through the mire of bad historical taxonomy ... but thanks for the tips - not I see the differences.
Manager of the UK Species Inventory in the Angela Marmont Centre for UK Biodiversity at the Natural History Museum, London. |
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