Moscas Aphamartania Schiner, 1866 (Diptera: Asilidae) x abelhas Eulaema (Apeulaema) Moure, 1950 (Hymenoptera: Apidae)
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Keywords:
Mimetismo, Moscas, AbelhasAbstract
Interspecific mimicry is not uncommon in nature. Among Insecta, Asilidae (Diptera: Brachycera: Asiloidea) is an important family of predatory flies. Some asilids have mimetic characteristics of other insects, including some bees. The present study reports a case of mimicry between Asilidae flies of the genus Aphamartania Schiner, 1866 and bees of the species Eulaema (Apeulaema) nigrita Lepeletier, 1841 (Hymenoptera, Anthophila, Apidae). The Aphamartania Asilidae are similar to Eulaema (Apeulaema) nigrita bees in their size, shape, color pattern and flight. Bees are models for various dipteran mimetics, since the vast majority of bee species use the sting and its impalatabildade as a defense. Based on the morphological characters observed in both species, there is strong evidence that flies of the genus Aphamartania are using morphological and behavioral mimicry of bees.
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