Neria octoannulata
Identification: Thorax: Humeri black, mesonotum amber, sclerites above the coxae black. Mesopleuron black.
Legs: Hind femora with two distinct black rings, mid femora with two distinct black rings
Abdomen: Distinctive sigmoidal shape. Size: 5mm
One of two species with a distinctly amber coloured thorax. In N. ephippium this colouration extends down the sides of the thorax whereas in N. octoannulata the amber is confined to the top (mesonotum). To date N. octoannulata has only been recorded on the Iberian peninsula (and Turkey) where there are no records of N. ephippium, the two are geographically isolated.
Distribution
Europe: Countries (published), online at Fauna Europaea, Occurrences at GBIF
Czerny, 1930: Male: Antennae yellow, browned on the upper edge, the red cross-band on the forehead above the probes considerably wider than on ephippium, and the velvet before-wart strip of forehead retracts with a fine point. Mesonotum all rusty red, shoulder calluses (humeri?) and all the pleura black, the border between red and black shimmering white to the label, almost the entire lower back, especially over the hips. Badge black, slightly reddish at the top. p with hips yellow, t3 except for the outermost point glossy brown to blackish brown, f2 and f3 with 2 black rings each, the f3 sharper and wider than in ephippium, the f2 narrower, but very clear. Wing bright glass, not clouded at the tip. Abdomen glossy black, the straight basal half of the abdominal lamellae glossy brown-black, the curved and touching apical halves yellow-brown, gradually narrowed to the top, not flabby at the end, and the extremely delicate imprinting of the inner margin rather long.
Female: Sensor member tanned all over the top half, laying tube almost like ephippium. 5mm
The biology of this small Neria species remains undescribed. Like its closest relative, N. ephippium (Fabricius, 1794) (being absent in the Iberian fauna), it seems to preferably live in semi-open riparian habitats and can be swept from bushy vegetation on banks of small streams (see Fig. 5). The data from Portugal demonstrate it is a spring species, with adults flying in March – May (13.iii.–30.v.)(Jindřich Roháček, 2016)
Habitat notes from Spanish photographer's gallery: Junto al río, bajo abedules, robles y sauces, principalmente, y algún aliso. Vegetación herbácea junto al río, bajo abedules, robles y sauces, principalmente, y algún aliso. Vegetación herbácea en borde prado-río. Vegetación herbácea en borde de camino fluvia