Zinnomyia Hesse, 1958

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 : 161

Zinnomyia Hesse

Zinnomyia Hesse, 1955: 387 . Type species: Zinnomyia karooensis Hesse, 1955 [= Bombylius bifidus Bezzi,

1924], by original designation.

Comments: The genus Zinnomyia was proposed by Hesse (1955) for two species with a striking tabanid-like appearance. He remarked on the fact that one of them was collected at a much visited site on a single occasion only, and speculated that it must either be very rare or have a very short flight period. The paucity of specimens of these striking flies in collections suggests that the species are indeed rare, but as specimens of the same species have been collected at widely separated localities, it seems that they are nonetheless widespread.

Distribution: Afrotropical Region. Africa South of the Sahara: 3 species Zinnomyia bifida (Bezzi) (Eastern & Western Cape), Z. brincki Hesse ( Namibia,? Kenya), Z. mira Greathead ( Mali, Niger).