Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Big Fly, Madagascar

Posted by cyprinoid on 25-06-2009 18:01
#1

I collected this fly in the rainforest Ranomafana, Madagascar as a kid in the 80s.
Unfortunately it is in a deteriorating state, but I have always wondered what it was.
You can imagine the thrill I felt when catching this guy with my bare hands. Being just a kid, it was the size of my palm.
I will never forget the sound it made when it came flying over my head.

Hopefully someone might find it interesting, and an ID would be fantastic.

First pictures are on a mm-paper, showing i't wing-span of 68 mm

menarana.googlepages.com/BigOne1.jpg

menarana.googlepages.com/BigOne2.jpg

menarana.googlepages.com/BigOne3.jpg

menarana.googlepages.com/BigOne4.jpg

menarana.googlepages.com/BigOne5.jpg

menarana.googlepages.com/BigOne6.jpg

As you can see there's a part missing, I was unable to locate it among the debris in the storage box.

Hakon

Posted by Paul Beuk on 25-06-2009 18:57
#2

Might well be Asilidae, so I moved it to that forum.

Posted by Eric Fisher on 27-06-2009 14:22
#3

cyprinoid,

You have a specimen of Microstylum cilipes -- one of about 30 described species of Microstylum found on Madagascar (there are additional undescribed species present there too). Wish I could have been with you -- at Ranomafana -- in the 1980's!

Eric

Posted by cyprinoid on 27-06-2009 16:28
#4

Thanks Eric! I hope to return to Madagascar again some day.

Edited by cyprinoid on 08-02-2010 13:19