Manx robber fly
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| Machimus cowini (Hobby, 1946) [1][2] |
The Manx robber fly, Machimus cowini (Manx: quaillag roosteyr Manninagh) is one of the 7,100 species of robber fly or Asilidae known throughout the world, and one of 28 asilids known to the British Isles.
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[edit] Distribution and habitat
The Manx robber fly was first discovered on the Isle of Man in the 1940s, hence the name 'Manx', meaning from the Isle of Man. It was originally thought to be endemic to the Island but it has since also been found around the Irish Sea coast, in the Republic of Ireland and also the United Kingdom [3].
It was first discovered in the ‘curragh’ (willow carr/swamp) habitat in the north of Isle of Man but has not been recorded there for some time. This may be due to the widespread destruction of the curragh wetlands by deforestation and draining, however the species may still be present in the curraghs. Furthermore it is believed that a former locality of the species, on road verges and farmland around Douglas, the capital of the Isle of Man, have been unknowingly destroyed by recent road widening and other ribbon development. Flourishing colonies, however, have been found to exist along the sandy coasts of the north-east Isle of Man [4].
[edit] Taxonomy
The scientific name of the species, Machimus cowini is named after the entomologist who discovered the species, W. S. Cowin. It is believed that an endemic species of moth exists in the Isle of Man, although further research is needed to confirm this.
[edit] Conservation
The conservation status of the species is currently unknown, but the Manx Wildlife Trust and Manx National Trust, through the creation of nature reserves have saved the curragh habitat from total destruction.
[edit] Miscellaneous
On 1 February 2001 the Isle of Man Post Office issued a 58 pence stamp depicting the Manx robber fly, in the series named 'Bugs and Bees'.
The scientific name of the species was once Epitriptus cowini however was renamed Machimus cowini after being placed in the genus Machimus.
[edit] References
- ^ Hobby, B. M. (1946). Epitriptus cowini, a new asilid (Dipt.) from the Isle of Man. Entomologist's monthly Magazine 82: 88–91.
- ^ Cowin, W. S. (1947). "A new asilid. Epitriptus cowini, a Manx insect new to science". Peregrine 1 (4): 9–10. (a précis of the Entomologist's Monthly Magazine paper, and also an account of the discovery of specimens by the Manx naturalist the species was subsequently named after.)
- ^ Speight, Martin C. D. (1987). The Irish asilid (Diptera) fauna. Bulletin of the Irish Biogeographical Society 10: 56–71.
- ^ Speight, Martin C. D. (1987). Re-affirmation of the status of Machimus cowini (Diptera: Asilidae), as a separate species, with a key to distinguish the male from males of some related species. Irish Naturalists' Journal 22: 296–304.
