Trichopsomyia Explained

Trichopsomyia is a genus of Hoverflies, from the family Syrphidae (flower flies), in the order Diptera.^{[1] [2]}

Biology

Hover flies like the Trichopsomyia are small flies with large heads and eyes, and small antennae. Their bodies are medium to slender, with a waist that is not significantly narrow, unless it is a wasp mimicking species. They have one pair of clear wings, and the banded forms have yellow and black bands. Hoverflies resemble wasps or bees because of their black and yellow-striped abdomens. However, they are actually members of a fly family that have evolved to mimic wasps and bees for protection.^[3]

Hoverfly larvae are flattened, legless and maggot-like. Most are green or brown in colour. They are carnivorous and eat aphids.

Species

• Trichopsomyia antillensis (Thompson, 1981)
• Trichopsomyia apisaon Walker, 1849
• Trichopsomyia australis (Johnson, 1907)
• Trichopsomyia currani (Fluke, 1937)^[4]
• Trichopsomyia banksi Curran, 1921)
• Trichopsomyia biglumis (Matsumura, 1916)
• Trichopsomyia boliviensis (Shannon, 1927)
• Trichopsomyia flavitarsis (Meigen, 1822)^[5]
• Trichopsomyia granditibialis (Fluke, 1937)^[4]
• Trichopsomyia lasiotibialis (Fluke, 1937)^[4]
• Trichopsomyia joratensis Goeldlin, 1997
• Trichopsomyia litoralis Vockeroth, 1988
• Trichopsomyia longicornis (Williston, 1888)
• Trichopsomyia lucida (Meigen, 1822)^[5]
• Trichopsomyia nigritarsis (Curran, 1924)
• Trichopsomyia occidentalis (Townsend, 1897)
• Trichopsomyia ochrozona (Stackelberg, 1952)
• Trichopsomyia pilosa (van Steenis & Wyatt, 2020)
• Trichopsomyia polita Williston, 1888
• Trichopsomyia pubescens (Loew, 1863)
• Trichopsomyia puella (Williston, 1888)
• Trichopsomyia recedens (Walker, 1852)
• Trichopsomyia rufithoracica (Curran, 1921)
• Trichopsomyia similis (Curran, 1924)
• Trichopsomyia tuberculata (Williston, 1888)
• Trichopsomyia tshapigou (Kuznetzov, 1990)
• Trichopsomyia urania (Hull, 1949)

Notes and References

1. Book: Van Veen, M.P. . Hoverflies of Northwest Europe, Identification Keys to the Syrphidae . Hardback . 2004 . KNNV Publishing . Utrecht . 90-5011-199-8 . 254 .
2. Book: Stubbs, Alan E. . Falk, Steven J. . amp . 1983 . British Hoverflies: An Illustrated Identification Guide . British Entomological & Natural History Society. 253, xvpp.
3. Web site: Hover flies.
4. Fluke . C.L. Jr . 1937 . New South American Syrphidae . Am. Mus. Novit. . 941 . 1–14 .
5. Book: Meigen . Johann Wilhelm . Systematische Beschreibung der bekannten europäische n zweiflugeligen Insekten . 1822 . Dritter Theil. Schulz-Wundermann . Hamm . x, 416, pls. 22–32 . 14 April 2019.