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this was one of the most beautiful bombyliids I've seen since Toxophora fasciculata. I hope this is not a Bombylella (not B. atra, though) or a BOmbylisoma. :P But it is very probable that it is one of them.
Spotted it in last month at 3 pm - 35ºC - in Silgueiros - Viseu. Open land and sandy substrate on Asteraceae flower. It has about 4 mm - 5 mm...



I suggest that you see this photo at the original size here:
http://www.flickr...0/sizes/o/

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crap photo... but it helps to show wing venation and dorsal view is enabled...

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Hi Jorge
Great photo,as ever...When downloading full image there is a sign in the top left corner which reads;

"Flickr photo Download: Scrag it, sucker! Ole'"
Is this some sort of Portuguese greeting...:D
Regards Roger

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Thanks, Roger! That title I wrote only for fun. Really the expression "Olé" is a Spanish one. Not Portuguese. But the way the fly put its legs it seems to challenge a taurus :D eheh hence the Olé. :)

Well, I'm really interesting what it could turn out this one! Because the wing venation doesn't fit what I know about bombyliid venation.

I hope to get, at least, the genus... I hope ... a new one. :)

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Bombylisoma melanocephalum

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Thanks, David. It seems that this specimen is rare? Is it true?

Let me know which is the European museum has the best collection in Bombyliidae?..

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well i have not seen one myself but it is recorded from many countries around Med east to Ukraine.


Best type collection probably Berlin. Do not know where best collection is, London has Greathead collection, Paris very good, but you cannot rely on dets in many cases. StPetersburg must have a brilliant collection but very difficult to get access.

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hmm... I will try to visit Paris.. :) and Berlin.

If I catch more Bombylisoma melanocephalum I will deliver some for you. But this seems to be not so easy. Also I'm trying to find Cononedys again, but here it was appeared in 2006... since then I never saw it again.

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i know you have a specimen of this one. May you can tell in which kind of habitat this bombyliid was found. I have found it in an open land with Asteraceae flowers around, new apple trees, and Vitus vinifera, Olea europaeae.