Promachus yesonicus | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Diptera |
Family: | Asilidae |
Genus: | Promachus |
Species: | P. yesonicus
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Binomial name | |
Promachus yesonicus (Bigot, 1887)
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Promachus yesonicus, or shioya-abu (塩屋虻, シオヤアブ) in Japanese, is a species of robber flies. In Japanese, "shioya" means a salt merchant (someone who makes or deals in salt), and "abu" means a horse-fly. This insect is called "shioya-abu" because the males have a white tip to their tail that resembles salt.
Promachus yesonicus is found throughout Japan from Hokkaido to Okinawa. They are visible from June to September.
Male Promachus yesonicus have a white cotton-like bud at the end of their tails, while females do not. Adults can reach 23–30 millimetres (0.9–1.2 in) in length.[1]