FAUNISTIC STUDIES ON BEE-FLIES (BOMBYLIIDAE: DIPTERA) OF SOUTHERN KARNATAKA
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Date
2022-12-12
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Abstract
The study was carried out at GKVK campus of the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru. Bee-flies were collected using sweep net and malaise trap from different locations of Southern Karnataka during 2021 and 2022. A species of Anthrax aygulus was collected near nest of Megachile disjuncta and also near a wasp nest. Micomitra vitrea (Bigot) was collected near an ant nest and Geron (Geron) albescens (Brunetti) near the nest of ground bees. Exoprosopa niveiventris Brunetti, Heteralonia (Isotamia) stylata (Brunetti) and Petrorossia ceylonica (Brunetti) were found in grass, bamboo ecosystem and on deserted termite mound, respectively. Heteralonia (Isotamia) siva (Nurse) was collected on flowers of weed plant coat-button, Tridax procumbens and devil weed, Chromolaena odorata; Heteralonia (Homolonia) bengalensis (Macquart) on parthenium, Parthenium hysterophorus. Bombomyia maculata Fabricius and Eurycarenus erectus (Brunetti) were collected on flowers of medicinal plant, Leucas aspera. In the present study a total of 119 specimens of bee-flies were examined, of which 20 species of 14 genera belonging to six tribes and three subfamilies have been documented and described with illustrated photographs. Of the studied taxa, male genitalia of nine species have been illustrated. The study revealed several new records, of which Anthrax aygulus is a new record to India and
eight species viz., Villa fuscolimbata, Villa approximata, Petrorossia ceylonica, Petrorossia intermedia, Micomitra vitrea, Bombylella albosparsa, Bombylisoma resplendens, Geron (Geron) albescens are new records to Karnataka. Illustrated identification keys are presented for the studied taxa.
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