The reindeer oestrids Hypoderma tarandi and Cephenemyia trompe (Diptera : Oestridae): Batesian mimics of bumblebees (Hymenoptera : Apidae : Bombus spp.)?

The color pattern (two areas on each of 20 transverse bands along the dorsa l surface of the body) in two reindeer oestrids, Hypoderma tarandi and Ceph enemyia trompe (Diptera: Oestridae), was analyzed and compared with that of different bumblebee species found in an oestrid study area in northern Nor way. A clustering analysis and multidimensional scaling analysis of the res ulting matrix of pairwise similarity coefficients indicated that Bombus lap ponicus, B. alpinus, and B, monticola (Hymenoptera: Bombinae) comprise a Mu llerian guild whose members serve as Batesian models for H. tarandi, and th at B. pratorum, B. jonellus, and B. lucorum comprise a Mullerian guild whos e members may serve as Batesian models for C. trompe. The oestrid mimics al so resemble their models in size.