<html><head><style type='text/css'>p { margin: 0; }</style></head><body><div style='font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: #000000'><P>Dear Santos:</P>
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<P>Yesterday another colleague had guided me to the Coccinellidae after I expressed a doubt as to its being a syrphid. I did find an image of Cryptolaemus montrouzieri and felt compelled to consider my bug as identified until you pointed out the genus "Scymnus or close." I now realize that there are apparently several species (and possibly other genera) in the Scymnini that could represent what I photographed. Thanks for your very kind effort in enlarging my view! </P>
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<P>Sincerely,</P>
<P>John Graham</P>
<P><A href="mailto:jopagr@comcast.net">jopagr@comcast.net</A></P>
<P>25 May 2009</P>
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<P><BR>----- Original Message -----<BR>From: "Santos Rojo" <santos.rojo@ua.es><BR>To: "Hoverfly discussion list" <syrphidae@lists.nottingham.ac.uk><BR>Cc: jopagr@comcast.net<BR>Sent: Monday, May 25, 2009 8:55:37 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern<BR>Subject: Re: [Syrphidae] Generic Identification Help Needed<BR><BR></P>
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<DIV>Dear John</DIV>
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<DIV>The larvae covered with white filaments of waxy material it is a ladybird beetle probably Scymnus genus or close. Here you can see a photo. Larvae and adults are predators of aphid colonies.</DIV>
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<DIV>http://www.myrmecos.net/insects/LarvalPred1.html</DIV>
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<DIV>Best regards</DIV>
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<DIV>Santos Rojo</DIV>
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<DIV>===</DIV>
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<BLOCKQUOTE cite="">In the USA did encounter an aphid predator that I believe was a syrphid. The I failed to collect the animal, or even examine it, I did take a photo of it, on a Hairy Cat's-Ear (Hypochaeris radicata) plant supporting a population of Uroleucon (Dactynotus) aphids.<BR></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE cite=""><BR> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE cite="">The predator in question showed a tessellated pattern of distinct and prominent wax tufts.<BR></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE cite=""><BR> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE cite="">The only other non-coleopterous insect predator of which I am familiar is the lepidopterous Feniseca tarquinius larva, but I believe it preys on woolly aphids such as the Prociphilus tessellatus. In that predation mode, it can get somewhat randomly and loosely covered with wax filaments producted by the aphids. The predator in question, however, is not covered this way--and furthermore, the Uroleucon in question does not produced was filaments.<BR></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE cite=""><BR> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE cite="">I have included a photo of the insect. Would appreciate commentary by anyone familiar with it.<BR></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE cite=""><BR> </BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE cite="">Sincerely,<BR></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE cite="">John Graham, Ph.D., entomology<BR></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE cite=""><A href="mailto:jopagr@comcast.net\" target=_blank>jopagr@comcast.net\</A><BR></BLOCKQUOTE>
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<DIV>*********************************************************************<BR>Instituto Universitario CIBIO - Centro Iberoamericano de la Biodiversidad<BR>Dpto de Ciencias Ambientales y Recursos Naturales<BR>Universidad de Alicante. Apdo. 99<BR>E-03080 Alicante, Spain<BR>---------------------------------------------<BR>Tlf.: (int + 34) 965 90 34 00 ext. 3281<BR>FAX: (int + 34) 965 90 38 15<BR>e-mail: santos.rojo@ua.es<BR>*********************************************************************</DIV></div></body></html>