Aphoebantus desertus
Coquillett, 1891
Aphoebantus desertus is a of bee fly ( Bombyliidae) described by Coquillett in 1891. The Aphoebantus belongs to the Anthracinae and tribe Aphoebantini. Members of this genus are small to medium-sized bee flies. The specific epithet "desertus" suggests an association with arid or desert . A world authority on bee flies has noted that the genus Epacmus may be a subset of Aphoebantus rather than a valid separate genus.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Aphoebantus desertus: //əˈfoʊ.bæn.təs dɪˈzɜːr.təs//
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Similar Taxa
- EpacmusA world authority on bee flies asserts that Epacmus may not be a valid but rather a subset of Aphoebantus, indicating close taxonomic relationship and potential difficulty in distinguishing between the two.
More Details
Taxonomic Uncertainty
The generic boundaries between Aphoebantus and Epacmus remain unresolved. At least one world authority considers Epacmus to be a subset of Aphoebantus rather than a valid distinct .
Etymology
The specific epithet "desertus" (Latin for "desert" or "abandoned") suggests the was described from or is characteristic of desert or arid environments.
Sources and further reading
- BugGuide
- Wikipedia
- GBIF taxonomy match
- iNaturalist taxon
- Catalogue of Life
- Bug Eric: A Case of Predator Mimicry in the Bee Fly Genus Epacmus? (Diptera: Bombyliidae)
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