Thyridanthrax elegans calochromatus (Bezzi, 1921)

Genus Thyridanthrax:
The genus Thyridanthrax is currently restricted to those species with hyaline areas within the infuscated part of the wing (fenestrate pattern); Hesse’s (1956) Group 2.
Wing normally developed; r-m crossvein at middle of discal cell, its terminal vein more or less parallel with wing margin; wing infuscation paler at base and with hyaline spots on crossveins (window panes).
Vestiture composed of black, brown, yellow and white elements; face with pale scaling; a distinct pale notopleural stripe; abdomen banded and with dense hair at sides of basal segments only.

Key to Afrotropical species available in:
Greathead, D. J. (1991). The genus Thyridanthrax Osten Sacken (Diptera: Bombyliidae) in tropical Africa. Insect Systematics & Evolution, 22(1), 45–54. doi:10.1163/187631291x00309
https://sci-hub.st/https://doi.org/10.1163/187631291X00309


Thyridanthrax elegans calochromatus (Bezzi, 1921)
Diagnosis: Wing with two submarginal cells; wings broadly yellow at base, only distal ends of cells br and bm (basal) and distal half of cup (anal) brown, m2 and m3 (third and fourth posterior) narrowly infuscated at base, r-m before middle of discal.
This subspecies has the dark wing band reduced to spots separated by pale areas bordering the cross-veins and the isolated spot at the base of cell br (first basal) very small. The black band on tergite III is very broad, occupying most of its width, and the bands on V and VI are indistinct, barely more than one row of scales. The pale hair is almost white, except on the fore margin of the thorax (collar) where it is brownish.

Photo of wing in Greathead 1991: Figure 24
https://sci-hub.st/https://doi.org/10.1163/187631291X00309

Description by Bezzi:
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/1540304#page/151/mode/1up
Illustration of wing, fig. 23: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/1540304#page/199/mode/1up

Distribution: South Africa, Botswana, Namibia.

iNat observations:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/36127821
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/36012558

Posted on September 23, 2023 02:21 PM by traianbertau traianbertau

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