Thyridanthrax luminis

(Hall, 1970)

Thyridanthrax luminis is a of bee fly in the Bombyliidae, described by Hall in 1970. The species is known from California. Bee flies in this are , with females laying in the nests of solitary . A related species, Thyridanthrax sp., has been observed parasitizing nests of the thread-waisted wasp Ammophila aberti in Arizona.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Thyridanthrax luminis: /θaɪˌrɪdænˈθræks ˈluːmɪnɪs/

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Distribution

California, United States.

Host Associations

Ammophila aberti - A congeneric (Thyridanthrax sp.) has been documented as a of this thread-waisted wasp; T. luminis likely has similar

Behavior

Females hover over open nests of solitary and deposit into tunnels. This 'jet bomber' style of oviposition has been observed in related .

Ecological Role

of solitary . Acts as a control on wasp .

Similar Taxa

Thyridanthrax sp. (congeners)Very similar in appearance and ; -level identification requires examination of specific morphological characters
Other Bombyliidae (bee flies)Share general body plan of stout, furry flies with long , but differ in specific wing venation and abdominal patterning

More Details

Taxonomic note

The Thyridanthrax belongs to the Anthracinae and tribe Villini. in this genus are specialized of Hymenoptera.

Observation record

As of the knowledge cutoff, iNaturalist records 22 observations of this .