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Micropezidae cf. Mimegralla albimana
Micropezidae, called Stilt-legged Flies, after their characteristically long legs. These flies are known for their displaying behavior of walking around and lifting their prominently marked front legs. Abdomen attached to thorax by "wasp-waist". Likely ant or wasp mimics. The posture of the forelegs may imitate ant and/or wasp antennae and provide them with some protection from predators. Many species (for example those of genus Mimegralla) are known for their habit of standing motionless while waving their prominently marked front legs in front of their head, a behavior which contributes to their mimicry of wasps.
Spotted in the backyard.
IDd before as Gongylocephala pallida (Steyskal, 1947), family Micropezidae, subfamily Eurybatinae; ssp endemic to the Philippines is Gongylocephala pallida luzonica. However, this could also be Mimegralla albimana, subfamily Tylidae (http://www.flickr.com/photos/baeng/54168...). Reference: http://collections.si.edu/search/results..., http://taxonomicon.taxonomy.nl/TaxonTree..., http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/aocat/pdf/54.... http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/pubs-online/.... http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/.... http://zeus.calacademy.org:8080/CAS+Frid....
Spotted on Sep 13, 2012
Submitted on Oct 17, 2012
2 Comments
Thanks Luis. I think you got a better-looking spotting :)
Nice serie Agnes. I had my first spotting of these flies
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/157...