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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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I'm not sure but this looks very similar to one that Eric named as Lampria dives, from French Guiana:

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That's already a great help Chris, it surely looks like that one!
Many thanks!
Myriam:)

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Myriam,

Your beautiful robber fly is Lampria clavipes (Fabricius).

Eric

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Out of interest Eric how does it differ from Lampria dives? :)

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Thank you so much Eric!:)

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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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Sounds like the usual problem of wading through the mire of bad historical taxonomy ... but thanks for the tips - not I see the differences. :)