| Melangyna viridiceps | |
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Diptera |
| Family: | Syrphidae |
| Genus: | Melangyna |
| Species: | M. viridiceps |
| Binomial name | |
| Melangyna viridiceps | |
Melangyna viridiceps is an Australian hoverfly, known as the common hover fly. [2]
It is one of the two most common hoverflies in Australia, alongside Simosyrphus grandicornis , [3] with which it has often been confused, [4] but can be distinguished by its all black thorax. [5]
M. viridiceps has a body up to 1 cm in length. [6]
The adult flies feed on pollen and nectar which they gather from flowers, while the larvae feed on aphids. [7]
It is found widely across Eastern Australia.
Some sources indicate that the species is also present in New Zealand, either on the Kermadec Islands only, [8] or on both the Kermadecs and the mainland. [9] Most recent sources, [10] however, do not record this species as being present outside of Australia. Miller's 1921 mention for the Kermadec was found to be a misidentification for Simosyrphus grandicornis , [4] and Macfarlane et al. [8] failed to cite specimens or published reports for their claim of the species' presence in the Kermadec.
Data related to Melangyna viridiceps at Wikispecies  | This hoverfly article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |