Heterotropus Loew, 1873

Greathead, D. J. & Evenhuis, N. L., 2001, Annotated keys to the genera of African Bombylioidea (Diptera: Bombyliidae; Mythicomyiidae), African Invertebrates 42 (1820), pp. 105-224 : 147

Heterotropus Loew

Heterotropus Loew, 1873: 182 . Type species: Heterotropus albidipennis Loew, 1873 , by monotypy.

Malthacotricha Becker, 1907 b: 312 . Type species: Malthacotricha glauca Becker, 1907 , by monotypy.

Comments: Heterotropus spp. are small, bare flies with a pattern of black and yellow or ivory areas on the cuticle. The distribution of these dark and light areas has been used to differentiate species, but it is highly variable so that species and records based on identifications from colour pattern only are in need of re-evaluation. The male genitalia exhibit specific differences and should be examined to confirm identifications.

Keys: Palaearctic, Paramonov (1929); Egypt, Efflatoun (1945) ; North Africa, Séguy (1938 b); South Africa, Yeates & Irwin (1992).

Hosts: The larvae are elongate, therevid-like, and predacious, living in soil ( Yeates & Irwin 1992).

Distribution: Palaearctic, Afrotropical and Oriental Regions. North Africa, Sudan: 17 species.Africa South of the Sahara: 12 species, including Heterotropus apertus Greathead (2000 a) .