Tritoxa

Loew, 1873

Species Guides

Tritoxa is a of picture-winged flies in the Ulidiidae, established by Loew in 1873. The genus contains seven described distributed in the Nearctic region, with two species described in 2021. Species identification relies primarily on wing pattern differences, though examination of male genitalia is necessary for confident identification of certain sympatric species. One undescribed species based on female specimens is known from California and Nevada.

Tritoxa incurva by (c) Steve Kerr, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Steve Kerr. Used under a CC-BY license.

Tritoxa incurva by (c) skitterbug, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by skitterbug. Used under a CC-BY license.

Tritoxa flexa, F, Face, MD 2013-06-18-15.32 (23433998311) by USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab from Beltsville, Maryland, USA. Used under a Public domain license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Tritoxa: /tɹɪˈtɒksə/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

Wing patterns serve as the primary visual characteristic for distinguishing among Tritoxa . Confident identification of certain sympatric species requires examination of male genitalia. A diagnostic key to all seven described species is available in the taxonomic revision by Sinclair, MacLeod & Wheeler (2021).

Images

Distribution

Nearctic region. Documented type localities include: California (T. californica near Spring Garden), British Columbia (T. decipiens near Smithers), and an undescribed species from California and Nevada.

More Details

Taxonomic revision

The most recent comprehensive revision (Sinclair, MacLeod & Wheeler, 2021) recognized seven , including two new species: T. californica and T. decipiens. This work provides species illustrations and distribution maps.

Undescribed species

One additional from California and Nevada remains undescribed, known only from female specimens.