Toxomerus dispar
(Fabricius, 1794)
Dark-sided Calligrapher
Toxomerus dispar is a of hoverfly in the Syrphidae, commonly known as the Dark-sided Calligrapher. The species was described by Fabricius in 1794. It belongs to the diverse Toxomerus, which includes numerous small to medium-sized hoverflies often recognized by their distinctive abdominal patterning. As a member of Syrphidae, this species is likely involved in pollination and may exhibit larval on small arthropods, though specific biological details for this species remain poorly documented in available sources.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Toxomerus dispar: /tɔkˈsɒmɛrəs ˈdɪspər/
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Distribution
Recorded from Brazil across all 26 states and the Federal District (BR-AC, BR-AL, BR-AM, BR-AP, BR-BA, BR-CE, BR-DF, BR-ES, BR-GO, BR-MA, BR-MG, BR-MS, BR-MT, BR-PA, BR-BR, BR-PE, BR-PI, BR-PR, BR-RJ, BR-RN, BR-RO, BR-RR, BR-RS, BR-SC, BR-SE, BR-SP, BR-TO). A single record from Norway (NO) is present in GBIF, though this may represent a data anomaly or vagrant occurrence rather than established .
More Details
Taxonomic note
Toxomerus dispar should not be confused with Lymantria dispar (spongy moth), an unrelated of (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) that is a major forest pest. The shared specific epithet 'dispar' creates potential for confusion, but these species belong to entirely different insect orders and have no biological relationship.