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'''Mengual, X. 2011. Black-tie dress code: two new species of the genus Toxomerus (Diptera, Syrhidae). ZooKeys 140: 1–26 (2011) doi: 10.3897/zookeys.140.1930 www.zookeys.org.'''

Not all of Toxomerus species have been properly classified, though over 130 Neotropical species and 6 endemic Nearctic species are known (Borges and Couri 2009, Thompson et al. 2010, cited by Mengual 2011). Predatory Toxomerus larvae typically feed on Hemiptera, Araci, and Thysanoptera insects, along with Lepidoptera larvae (Rojo et al., 2003, cited by Mengual, 2011). Toxomerus species are usually about 6 mm, though some species have been found to be larger than 9 mm (Metz and Thompson, 2001). Both molecular and morphological analysis have been used to establish Toxomerus monophyly.

'''Reemer, M., & Rotheray, G. E. (2009). Pollen feeding larvae in the presumed predatory syrphine genus Toxomerus Macquart (Diptera, Syrphidae). Journal of Natural History, 43(15/16), 939–949. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222930802610576 '''

The authors show that the genus Toxomerus is largely a predatory group, with the exceptions of two species: Toxomerus apegiensis and Toxomerus politus. Little information is known about the larval biology of Taxomerus species, except that most are predatory. Research suggests that other phytophagous species may be found by searching plants related to O. obliquifolia, which are rainforest-adapted grasses; the authors suggest that studying the genus Olyra - the largest genus - may lead to finding more phytophagous Toxmerus species.

Syrphidae?

'''Metz, M., Thompson, C. 2001. A revision of the larger species of Toxomerus (Diptera: Syrphidae) with description of a new species. Studia dipterologica 8, 225-256.'''

Toxomerus species are the most abundant hoverflies (or syrphid flies) in the Americas. Taxomerus marginatus is the most ubiquitous species in the North, brooding multiple times per year (polyvoltine). Toxomerus dispar is the most common in the tropics, though T. pulchellus is more common in some areas.

All other species for which data are available are predaceous as larvae, feeding on aphids (BANKS et al. 1916: 184; HEISS 1938: 30). Larvae and puparia are easily recognized by the characteristic arrangement of the hind spiracular openings (Figs 34-38).