Melanostoma mellinum

Melanostoma mellinum
	Male
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Diptera
Family:	Syrphidae
Genus:	Melanostoma
Species:	M. mellinum
Binomial name
	Melanostoma mellinum; (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms
	List Melanostoma concolor(Walker, 1851); Melanostoma facultas(Harris, 1780); Musca facultas Harris, 1780; Musca mellinum Linnaeus, 1758 ; Syrphus concolor Walker, 1851; Melanostoma angustatumWilliston, 1887 ; Melanostoma fallaxCurran, 1923; Melanostoma melanderiCurran, 1930; Melanostoma montivagumJohnson, 1916; Melanostoma pachytarseBigot, 1884 ; Melanostoma pallitarseCurran, 1926 ; Melanostoma pictipesBigot, 1884 ; Melanostoma pruinosaBigot, 1884; Musca mellinumLinnaeus, 1758 ; Syrphus albimanusFabricius, 1781 ; Syrphus lachrymosusSay, 1835; *Pachysphyria flavitibiaEnderlein, 1938;

Last updated December 07, 2024

Melanostoma mellinum is a very common species of hoverfly found in many parts of Britain, Europe including the Mediterranean basin and North Africa, the East Palearctic, and North America.

A small species, their wingspan range recorded is between 4.7 and 7.0 mm. Very similar to Platycheirus and other Melanostoma species, but with close inspection of some finer details, it can be identified with certainty. Adult males closely resemble Platycheirus clypeatus , but lack the flattening or broadening of the front legs characteristic of most Platycheirus males. Females resemble female Melanostoma scalare , sharing similar triangular tergite markings, but have a shiny, black frons, which separates them from M. scalare and most Platycheirus species. Also, M. mellinum may prove to be a species complex.

Their preferred habitat include grasslands and moorlands, including those in hilly and mountainous regions. Adults can be found feeding on the pollen of grasses (Poaceae) and other wind-pollinated plants.

Little is known of their biology, but the larvae are suspected to be a general predator of small insects in leaf litter.

Flight times in Britain and Ireland are from April to October with peaks in late May - early June and from July to August.^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]

Related Research Articles

<i>Platycheirus clypeatus</i> Species of fly

Platycheirus clypeatus is a species of hoverfly. It is found across the Palearctic and in the Nearctic. The larvae feed on aphids. Adults are usually found on the edges of woodland or scrub, heath or along hedgerows where they visit a wide range of flowers.

Eupeodes luniger is a common species of hoverfly.

Platycheirus peltatus is a Palearctic species of hoverfly.

Platycheirus scutatus is a very common species of hoverfly. It is a Holarctic species.

Melanostoma is a large genus of hoverflies. Little is known of their biology, but they are suspected to be general predators of small insects in leaf litter.

<i>Melanostoma scalare</i> Species of fly

Melanostoma scalare, the chequered hoverfly, is a very common species of hoverfly.

Baccha elongata is a species of hoverfly in the genus Baccha.

Platycheirus albimanus is a common widespread species of hoverfly. A holarctic species its range includes Greenland, Iceland, Britain, mainland Europe, Russia, across Siberia to the pacific coast, the Philippines, Alaska, western Canada and United States.

<i>Platycheirus granditarsus</i> Species of fly

Platycheirus granditarsus, the Hornhand Sedgesitter, is a species of hoverfly. It is found in many parts of Britain North America and Europe. Typical habitat includes marshy meadows and ditches, where it can be found between May and October, though it is at its commonest between July and September. The most distinctive feature of this fly is the red-orange abdomen most easily seen as it takes off or alights.

<i>Platycheirus manicatus</i> Species of fly

Platycheirus manicatus is a species of hoverfly. It is found across the Palearctic and in Alaska.

Platycheirus rosarum is a species of hoverfly found in the Holarctic realm. Like its close relative Platycheirus granditarsus, it can be found in marshy meadows and ditches; indeed, the two species can often be found together. The flight time is between May and October, though it peaks in abundance in June and July.

Platycheirus ambiguus is a small widespread species of hoverfly found across the Palearctic from Ireland to Japan. A spring species found in flight in April and May, it visits spring-flowering trees and shrubs, e.g., Prunus spinosa in deciduous woodland and scrub.

Platycheirus angustatus is a species of hoverfly. It is found in many parts of the Palearctic, and in the Nearctic.

Platycheirus discimanus, the Yellowfoot Sedgesitter is a small species of hoverfly. It is found across Europe and the Palearctic and in North America.

Platycheirus ramsaerensis is a Palearctic species of hoverfly. It is found along the parts of northern Europe that face the Atlantic. It is a member of the Platycheirus clypeatus group

Melanostoma dubium is a Palearctic species of hoverfly.

Doros profuges is a Palearctic species of hoverfly.

Epistrophe nitidicollis is a European and North American species of hoverfly.

Epistrophe melanostoma is a European species of hoverfly.

References

↑ Insecta pro
↑ Ball, Stuart; Morris, Roger (2013). Britain's Hoverflies: An Introduction to the Hoverflies of Britain. Woodstock, Oxfordshire: Princeton University Press. pp. 296pp. ISBN 978-0-691-15659-0.
↑ Ball, S.G.; Morris, R.K.A. (2000). Provisional atlas of British hoverflies (Diptera, Syrphidae). Monks Wood, UK: Biological Record Centre. pp. 167 pages. ISBN 1-870393-54-6.
↑ Morris, Roger K. A. (1999). Hoverflies of Surrey. Surrey Wildlife Trust. p. 244. ISBN 0-9526065-3-4.
↑ Speight, M.C.D. (2011). "Species accounts of European Syrphidae (Diptera)" (PDF). Syrph the Net, the database of European Syrphidae. 65: 285pp.
↑ Stubbs, Alan E.; Falk, Steven J (1983). British Hoverflies: An Illustrated Identification Guide (2nd ed.). London: British Entomological and Natural History Society. pp. 253, xvpp. ISBN 1-899935-03-7.
↑ Van Veen, M.P. (2004). Hoverflies of Northwest Europe, Identification Keys to the Syrphidae (Hardback). Utrecht: KNNV Publishing. p. 254. ISBN 90-5011-199-8.

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[1] Insecta pro

[Ball-2] Ball, Stuart; Morris, Roger (2013). Britain's Hoverflies: An Introduction to the Hoverflies of Britain. Woodstock, Oxfordshire: Princeton University Press. pp. 296pp. ISBN 978-0-691-15659-0.

[atlas-3] Ball, S.G.; Morris, R.K.A. (2000). Provisional atlas of British hoverflies (Diptera, Syrphidae). Monks Wood, UK: Biological Record Centre. pp. 167 pages. ISBN 1-870393-54-6.

[4] Morris, Roger K. A. (1999). Hoverflies of Surrey. Surrey Wildlife Trust. p. 244. ISBN 0-9526065-3-4.

[Speight-5] Speight, M.C.D. (2011). "Species accounts of European Syrphidae (Diptera)" (PDF). Syrph the Net, the database of European Syrphidae. 65: 285pp.

[Stubbs-6] Stubbs, Alan E.; Falk, Steven J (1983). British Hoverflies: An Illustrated Identification Guide (2nd ed.). London: British Entomological and Natural History Society. pp. 253, xvpp. ISBN 1-899935-03-7.

[VanVeen-7] Van Veen, M.P. (2004). Hoverflies of Northwest Europe, Identification Keys to the Syrphidae (Hardback). Utrecht: KNNV Publishing. p. 254. ISBN 90-5011-199-8.

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