Rhigioglossa (Mesomyia) aurantiaca Oldroyd, 1957 - Identification

Eyes green, distinctly hairy. Female head with distinct callus (raised cabochon-like callus, not connected to the ocellar tubercle).
Head, thoracic hairs and abdomen predominantly yellow-orange. Antennae bicolor: basal flagellomere orange, contrasting with black terminal segments.
Femora yellow-orange except at apices which are distinctly darker; tibiae yellow basally, brown at the tips, tarsi slightly darkened. Wings brown along the veins, with inconspicuous brown stigma.
Abdomen golden orange with median dark spots on the tergites.

Most of the species of subgenus Mesomyia are restricted to the mountains of the winter rainfall region.
Rhigioglossa aurantiaca is known from a few localities in the Western Cape (Hottentots-Holland Mts, E side, 1 200 m; Oudebosch, Riviersonderend; Kirstenbosch; Platteklip, Table Mountain; Wit River Valley, Bainskloof).

iNat observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/149636273

Posted on August 2, 2023 08:24 AM by traianbertau