Microdon mutabilis
Microdon mutabilis | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Diptera |
Family: | Syrphidae |
Genus: | Microdon |
Species: | M. mutabilis |
Binomial name | |
Microdon mutabilis (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
Synonyms | |
Microdon mutabilis, is a species of hoverfly. It is found in many parts of Britain and Europe. The distinctive almost slug-like larvae live in ants nests. They are hemispherical in shape, heavily armoured and believed prey on the eggs and larvae of a number of ant species, including Formica lemani, Formica fusca, Lasius niger and Myrmica ruginodis.[1]
Description
External images
For terms see Morphology of Diptera
Wing length 6-9 mm.Pterostigma 2-2.5 times as long as the length of the wing margin between ends of wing veins R1 and R2+3.Scutellum red or dark red.The male genitalia are figured by Doczkal & Schmid (1999) .[2] Note M.mutabilis is only reliably distinguished from M.myrmicae by features of the puparium.
See references for determination [3] [4]
[5] [6][7]
References
- ↑ Stubbs, Alan E. & Falk, Steven J. (1983). British Hoverflies: An Illustrated Identification Guide. British Entomological & Natural History Society. pp. 253, xvpp.
- ↑ Doczkal, D. & Schmid, U. (1999) Revision der mitteleuropäischen Arten der Gattung Microdon Meigen (Diptera, Syrphidae). Volucella, 4: 45-68.
- ↑ Van Veen, M. (2004) Hoverflies of Northwest Europe: identification keys to the Syrphidae. 256pp. KNNV Publishing, Utrecht.addendum
- ↑ Van der Goot,V.S. (1981) De zweefvliegen van Noordwest - Europa en Europees Rusland, in het bijzonder van de Benelux. KNNV, Uitgave no.32: 275pp. Amsterdam.
- ↑ Bei-Bienko, G.Y. & Steyskal, G.C. (1988) Keys to the Insects of the European Part of the USSR, Volume V: Diptera and Siphonaptera, Part I. Amerind Publishing Co., New Delhi. ISBN 81-205-0080-6.
- ↑ Coe, R.L. (1953) Diptera: Syrphidae. Handbks.ident.Br.insects, 10(1): 1-98. R.ent.Soc.London. pdf
- ↑ Speight, M.C.D. (2011). "Species accounts of European Syrphidae (Diptera)" (PDF). Syrph the Net, the database of European Syrphidae. 65: 285pp.