Melangyna viridiceps

Melangyna viridiceps
Melangyna viridiceps
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Syrphidae
Genus: Melangyna
Species: M. viridiceps
Binomial name
Melangyna viridiceps
(Macquart, 1847) [1]

Melangyna viridiceps is an Australasian hoverfly, known in Australia as the common hover fly.[2] It is found across Eastern Australia, as well as on the Kermadec Islands of New Zealand,[3] and is one of the two most common hoverflies in Australia, alongside Simosyrphus grandicornis,[4] but can be distinguished by its all black thorax.[5] The adult flies feed on pollen and nectar which they gather from flowers, while the larvae feed on aphids.[6]

Feeding on a flower

References

  1. ^ Rudolf Meier et al. (17 May 2005). "Collection inventory of the Diptera collection: Syrphidae". Zoological Museum, University of Copenhagen (ZMUC). http://www.zmuc.dk/entoWeb/collections-databaser/Diptera/Syrphidae%20all.htm. 
  2. ^ "Common hover fly Melangyna viridiceps". CSIRO. 18 September 2004. http://www.ento.csiro.au/aicn/name_c/a_980.htm. 
  3. ^ R. P. Macfarlane, I. G. Andrew, B. J. Sinclair et al. (3 March 2000). "Checklist of New Zealand Diptera". New Zealand Entomological Society. http://www.ento.org.nz/diptera_checklist.htm. 
  4. ^ E. Soleyman-Nezhadiyan & R. Laughlin (1998). "Voracity of larvae, rate of development in eggs, larvae and pupae, and flight seasons of adults of the hoverflies Melangyna viridiceps Macquart and Symosyrphus grandicornis Macquart (Diptera: Syrphidae)". Australian Journal of Entomology 37 (3): 243–248. doi:10.1111/j.1440-6055.1998.tb01578.x. 
  5. ^ Chew, Peter. "Hover Fly - Family Syrphidae". http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_flies/SYRPHIDAE.htm. Retrieved 2011-08-30. 
  6. ^ "Common hover fly — Melangyna viridiceps". Brisbane Insects and Spiders Home Page. 22 December 2004. Archived from the original on 28 August 2005. http://web.archive.org/web/20050828111113/http://www.geocities.com/brisbane_flies/CommonHover.htm.  (Note that while the text is correct, the photos are misidentified specimens of Simosyrphus)


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