The photo is Canon MP-E 65mm macro @ 1x (a big robber fly) and after a meal.
Edit: Possibly a damaged oviposing organ ?
Asilidae body structure
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Asilidae body structure
Not sure what is the function of the structure in the body, so I'm posting for help, it was moving.
The photo is Canon MP-E 65mm macro @ 1x (a big robber fly) and after a meal.
Edit: Possibly a damaged oviposing organ ?
The photo is Canon MP-E 65mm macro @ 1x (a big robber fly) and after a meal.
Edit: Possibly a damaged oviposing organ ?
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Harold Gough
- Posts: 5786
- Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 2:17 am
- Location: Reading, Berkshire, England
It is an ovipositor but I don't think it is damaged. The ovipositor seems to be of very varied shape and size in the family, some being described as "sword-shaped", which seems about right.
Harold
Harold
Last edited by Harold Gough on Thu Jan 20, 2011 12:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
My images are a medium for sharing some of my experiences: they are not me.
Hi Gustavo,
This robber fly is a female of an Efferia sp. -- which is a very large genus (200+ spp.) in the Americas. As Harold says, the sword-shaped structure is the ovipositor (from tip of wing on); this shape of ovipositor is diagnostic for Efferia females.
It looks like the abdomen has some 'malformation' on about the third segment (a growth or developmental anomaly?).
Eric
This robber fly is a female of an Efferia sp. -- which is a very large genus (200+ spp.) in the Americas. As Harold says, the sword-shaped structure is the ovipositor (from tip of wing on); this shape of ovipositor is diagnostic for Efferia females.
It looks like the abdomen has some 'malformation' on about the third segment (a growth or developmental anomaly?).
Eric