Milesia bella

Townsend, 1897

Milesia bella is a of in the , first described by Townsend in 1897. It is one of three species in the Milesia found in North America, with a distribution restricted to the southwestern United States. Like other members of its genus, it is a large, strikingly colored that exhibits . The species is considerably less documented than its eastern relative M. virginiensis, with limited published information on its biology and .

Milesia bella by (c) Gerardo Ochoa, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Gerardo Ochoa. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Milesia bella: /maɪˈliːziə ˈbɛlə/

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Identification

Milesia bella can be distinguished from the eastern M. virginiensis by its southwestern U.S. distribution. It is distinguished from M. scutellata, which occurs in the southeastern U.S. from southeast Oklahoma to North Carolina. All three Milesia are large (18-28.5 mm body length), with , , and black coloration resembling . Specific diagnostic features for M. bella are not documented in available sources.

Images

Distribution

Southwestern United States; Mexico. The ' range is more restricted and westerly than M. virginiensis (eastern North America) and M. scutellata (southeastern U.S.).

Similar Taxa

Milesia virginiensisOverlaps in large size and -mimicking coloration; distinguished by eastern North distribution versus southwestern range of M. bella
Milesia scutellataSimilar large size and coloration; distinguished by southeastern U.S. distribution (southeast Oklahoma to North Carolina) versus southwestern range of M. bella

More Details

Taxonomic note

Milesia bella is one of three North in the Milesia, a group of large, conspicuous . The genus is notable for its members' striking resemblance to , including size, coloration, and . The specific epithet 'bella' (Latin for 'beautiful') likely refers to the species' attractive appearance.

Data limitations

Available sources contain minimal specific information on M. bella compared to M. virginiensis. Most biological details documented for the (larval development in rotting wood, hovering , ) are derived from studies of M. virginiensis and should not be assumed for M. bella without direct observation.