Exoprosopa Nondescript
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''Exoprosopa'' is a large cosmopolitan genus of
flies Flies are insects of the Order (biology), order Diptera, the name being derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek δι- ''di-'' "two", and πτερόν ''pteron'' "wing". Insects of this order use only a single pair of wings to fly, the hindwin ...
belonging to the family
Bombyliidae The Bombyliidae are a family of flies, commonly known as bee flies. Some are colloquially known as bomber flies. Adults generally feed on nectar and pollen, some being important pollinators. Larvae are mostly parasitoids of other insects. Over ...
(bee-flies), with over 325 described species. The genus parasitizes a wide range of insects, including locust and larvae of wasps.


Description

This genus contains the largest bee flies, of about 14 mm, sometimes larger, up to 22 mm, though a few species are as small as 6 mm. The
proboscis A proboscis () is an elongated appendage from the head of an animal, either a vertebrate or an invertebrate. In invertebrates, the term usually refers to tubular arthropod mouthparts, mouthparts used for feeding and sucking. In vertebrates, a pr ...
is short. The head is large and only loosely attached to the thorax. The antenna are small and well separated. Wings are large, with wingspan 40 mm, up to 64 mm in the largest species, nearly always boldly patterned; abdomen patterned (often banded) with white or pale scales on segment 6 and 7 or on each segment. Many species are
sexually dimorphic Sexual dimorphism is the condition where sexes of the same species exhibit different Morphology (biology), morphological characteristics, including characteristics not directly involved in reproduction. The condition occurs in most dioecy, di ...
.


Distribution

Species are found worldwide, however
Southern Africa Southern Africa is the southernmost region of Africa. No definition is agreed upon, but some groupings include the United Nations geoscheme for Africa, United Nations geoscheme, the intergovernmental Southern African Development Community, and ...
is especially species rich with over 135 species.


See also

*
List of Exoprosopa species These 372 species belong to '' Exoprosopa'', a genus of bee flies in the family Bombyliidae. ''Exoprosopa'' species * '' Exoprosopa aberrans'' Paramonov, 1928 * '' Exoprosopa abjecta'' Nurse, 1922 * '' Exoprosopa abrogata'' Nurse, 1922 * '' Exop ...


References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5420652 Bombyliidae Diptera of Europe Diptera of Australasia Diptera of Africa Diptera of Asia Diptera of North America Diptera of South America Bombyliidae genera Taxa named by Pierre-Justin-Marie Macquart