Posted by
bonitin on 14-09-2010 15:37
#1
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
#7
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
