Toxophora amphitea
This record describes Toxophora amphitea (species). Recorded family: Bombyliidae. Recorded order: Diptera.
Identification and Appearance
♀ Osten Saken gave a description of T. amphitea in his 1877 Western Diptera .
Identification notes
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Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Diptera (Flies)
- Superfamily
- Asiloidea
- Family
- Bombyliidae (Bee Flies)
- Subfamily
- Toxophorinae
- Genus
- Toxophora
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Eastern North America into Mexico. State/Province Records: CAN: ON USA: DC, FL, MD, MO, TX MEX: Guerrero, Sonora Additional BugGuide records include GA, IL, KY, NJ, NY, OK, PA, SC, VA.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Known hosts: Hymenoptera. Larvae in Washington D. C. were found in the globular nests of Eumenes fraterna . Whether they fed on the wasp larva, the provisioned caterpillars, or both was unknown.
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Diptera, the group containing Toxophora amphitea. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Diptera includes over 150,000 described species of flies, mosquitoes, and midges. Mosquitoes are the deadliest animal on Earth (CDC). Malaria alone causes ~249 million cases and over 608,000 deaths annually, mostly children under 5 (WHO). Vector-borne diseases account for over 17% of all infectious diseases, causing 700,000+ deaths per year.
Ecological role of the group
Despite their disease impact, flies are critical decomposers and pollinators. Hoverflies alone pollinate hundreds of crop and wildflower species. Flies are also the primary food source for many birds, bats, and fish. Forensic entomology relies heavily on fly species for crime scene analysis.
Economic and practical significance of the group
In the U.S., vector-borne disease cases tripled between 2004-2016, with over 640,000 cases reported in that period (CDC). Tickborne diseases doubled from 22,000 to 48,000 annual reports. Globally, mosquito-borne diseases cost billions in healthcare and lost productivity.
Recorded sources for this group: WHO, CDC, PNAS. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Toxophora amphitea (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Joel Kits; Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset , Bbarnd , Aaron Schusteff , Robert H. Biagi , Arturo Santos
Frequently Asked Questions About Toxophora amphitea
What is Toxophora amphitea?
Toxophora amphitea is a species in the family Bombyliidae, within the order Diptera.
How do you identify Toxophora amphitea?
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Where is Toxophora amphitea found?
Range: Eastern North America into Mexico. State/Province Records: CAN: ON USA: DC, FL, MD, MO, TX MEX: Guerrero, Sonora Additional BugGuide records include GA, IL, KY, NJ, NY, OK, PA, SC, VA.
What does Toxophora amphitea eat?
The diet of the Toxophora amphitea includes Known hosts: Hymenoptera. Larvae in Washington D. C. were found in the globular nests of Eumenes fraterna . Whether they fed on the wasp larva, the provisioned caterpillars, or both was unknown..