Petrorossia Bezzi, 1908

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 : 214

Petrorossia Bezzi

Petrorossia Bezzi, 1908: 35 . Type species: Bibio hesperus Rossi, 1790 , by original designation

Comments: Species are difficult to characterise, and the significance of the considerable variation in details of the male genitalia has not been resolved. Thus, there may be more or fewer species than those presently recognised.

Keys: Palaearctic, Engel (1932 –7); Afrotropical, Bezzi (1924); southern Africa, Hesse (1956); West Africa, Bowden (1964).

Hosts: There is no clear indication of host preferences for this genus. Species have been reared from the puparia of Glossina spp. , cocoons of Tiphiidae , solitary bees and wasps, and one from the egg-mass of a spider ( du Merle 1975; Yeates & Greathead 1997).

Distribution: Old World. North Africa: 6 species, including Canary Islands: 1 species; P. guanchorum Francois. Africa South of the Sahara: 25 species, including Socotra: 1 species; P. sokotrae (Ricardo) .