Parasyrphus melanderi

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Parasyrphus melanderi
Syrphids hunt.jpg
Larva of P. melanderi (pale) resting between a pupating C. aeneicollis larva (l.) and a C. aeneicollis pupa (r.).
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Syrphidae
Genus: Parasyrphus
Species:
P. melanderi
Binomial name
Parasyrphus melanderi
(Curran, 1925)
Synonyms [1]

Scaeva relicta Zetterstedt, 1838:603 Parasyrphus relictus Zetterstedt Stenosyrphus melanderi Curran 1925:103

Contents

Parasyrphus melanderi is a flower fly (family Syrphidae) that is best known as a larval predator on the leaf beetle Chrysomela aeneicollis in the Sierra Nevada range of California. [2]

Description

Adults are medium-sized flies (approximately 6-11mm). The dorsal side of the fourth abdominal segment (and usually the third segment) have an entire yellow band (rather than black), and the face has a black median stripe. In males, the ventral side of the abdomen (sternites) has few or no distinct markings, and in females, the sternites have spots or triangles and the facial stripe is no more than one-quarter the as wide as the face. [1] Eggs of P. melanderi are white and are smaller than the eggs of their prey Chrysomela aeneicollis in California. Mature P. melanderi larvae are 14–16mm long and approximately 3mm in diameter. Larvae have pale markings with thin dark brown stripes anterior to them. [3]

Range

The holotype of this species was collected by Doctor Melander on Mount Constitution, Washington on July 22, 1919. [4] Vockeroth (1992) described the range as boreal and western Canada. [1] Populations have been documented feeding on Chrysomela aeneicollis in the eastern Sierra Nevada, California. [3]

Habitat

These flies are found in cool moist habitats near lakes or streams, where their larval prey (Chrysomeline leaf beetles) occur. [3] These habitats are often found at high elevations, especially at lower latitudes. [1]

Parasyrphus eggs.jpg

Ecology

Parasyrphus melanderi is a major natural enemy of Chrysomela aeneicollis , a leaf beetle in the subfamily Chrysomelinae. [5] [6] [7] Beetle larvae possess external defensive secretion glands, from which they evert volatile secretions that contain salicylaldehyde, which is derived from host plant salicyl glucosides. [8] Female P. melanderi lay their eggs between the beetle eggs, and fly larvae hatch before the beetles do. Fly larvae first consume beetle eggs, then beetle hatchlings, and continue to consume beetle larvae until they pupate on their willow host leaves. [9] The fly larvae show no evidence for being repelled by the beetle larval secretion, [3] and they are probably attracted to it like their congener Parasyrphus nigritarsis , which shows very similar egg laying and larval feeding behaviors and prey use. [10] [9] A video of P. nigritarsis predatory behavior provides a good visual representation of the feeding behavior of P. melanderi. [11]

Parasyrphus larvae.jpg

Taxonomy

Adults were originally described by Curran (1924), page 103 under the name Stenosyrphus melanderi. [4] Vockeroth (1992) [1] considered P. melanderi to possibly belong to Parasyrphus relictus , and the characteristics described above were identical in his key to Parasyrphus species. Yet he also described some specimens as having yellow femora, especially for the hind leg, and if there are two species, he considered the specimens with yellow femora to be P. melanderi. Specimens of P. relictus and P. melanderi differ from Parasyrphus nigritarsis in that the former possess a dark facial stripe, which P. nigritarsis lacks. [1]

Related Research Articles

Leaf beetle Family of beetles

The insects of the beetle family Chrysomelidae are commonly known as leaf beetles, and include over 37,000 species in more than 2,500 genera, making up one of the largest and most commonly encountered of all beetle families. Numerous subfamilies are recognized, but the precise taxonomy and systematics are likely to change with ongoing research.

Tansy beetle Species of beetle

The tansy beetle is a species of leaf beetle. It measures 7.7–10.5 mm in length and has a characteristic bright metallic green colouration. The common name derives from the tansy plant on which they often feed as both larvae and adults. In addition to the nominotypical subspecies, which repeats the specific name, C. graminis graminis, there are five further distinct subspecies of tansy beetle, which, collectively, have a Palearctic distribution, although in the majority of countries where it is found the species is declining. In the United Kingdom it is designated as 'Nationally Rare' and this localised population, centred on York, North Yorkshire, has been the subject of much recent research.

Blue willow beetle Species of beetle

The blue willow beetle, formerly Phyllodecta vulgatissima, is a herbivourous beetle of the family Chrysomelidae. It is dark with a metallic sheen that ranges from a blue color to bronze. It is distinguished from P. vitellinae by the latter more commonly displaying bronze coloration. European Phratora species can be distinguished based on morphology of female genitalia. The larvae undergo three instar stages from hatching to pupation. This beetle is found throughout Europe and Scandinavia, and occurs in China.

<i>Syrphus ribesii</i> Species of fly

Syrphus ribesii is a very common Holarctic species of hoverfly. Its larvae feed on aphids. In common with many other species of hoverfly, males have the eyes meeting on the top of the head, whilst females have their eyes widely separated.

Elm leaf beetle Species of beetle

Xanthogaleruca luteola, commonly known as the elm-leaf beetle, is a beetle species in the family Chrysomelidae that is native to Europe but invasive in other parts of the world.

<i>Chrysomela lapponica</i> Species of beetle

The leaf beetle Chrysomela lapponica is found in central and northern Europe feeding on leaves of willows and birch. The adult beetles are about 8 mm long and beetles in different regions can have different colour patterns on their elytra.

<i>Chrysomela populi</i> Species of beetle

Chrysomela populi is a species of broad-shouldered leaf beetle belonging to the family Chrysomelidae, subfamily Chrysomelinae.

Insects have a wide variety of predators, including birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, carnivorous plants, and other arthropods. The great majority (80–99.99%) of individuals born do not survive to reproductive age, with perhaps 50% of this mortality rate attributed to predation. In order to deal with this ongoing escapist battle, insects have evolved a wide range of defense mechanisms. The only restraint on these adaptations is that their cost, in terms of time and energy, does not exceed the benefit that they provide to the organism. The further that a feature tips the balance towards beneficial, the more likely that selection will act upon the trait, passing it down to further generations. The opposite also holds true; defenses that are too costly will have a little chance of being passed down. Examples of defenses that have withstood the test of time include hiding, escape by flight or running, and firmly holding ground to fight as well as producing chemicals and social structures that help prevent predation.

<i>Parasyrphus nigritarsis</i> Species of fly

Parasyrphus nigritarsis is a species of hoverfly, from the family Syrphidae, in the order Diptera. It is known from northern Europe and North America, and has been considered to be a rare species in parts of its range. Adults visit flowers as a source of nutrition, and females lay their eggs on clutches of eggs of leaf beetles. When the Parasyrphus larvae hatch, they first consume leaf beetle eggs and then consume immature beetles until they reach the pupal stage. This species is related to hoverflies that prey on aphids as larvae, and has been investigated in studies of chemical ecology and food web ecology.

Diptera is an order of winged insects commonly known as flies. Diptera, which are one of the most successful groups of organisms on Earth, are very diverse biologically. None are truly marine but they occupy virtually every terrestrial niche. Many have co-evolved in association with plants and animals. The Diptera are a very significant group in the decomposition and degeneration of plant and animal matter, are instrumental in the breakdown and release of nutrients back into the soil, and whose larvae supplement the diet of higher agrarian organisms. They are also an important component in food chains.

Fecal shield

The fecal shield is a structure formed by the larvae of many species of beetles in the leaf beetle family, Chrysomelidae. It is composed of the frass of the insect and often its exuviae, or bits of shed exoskeleton. The beetle may carry the shield on its back or wield it upon its posterior end. The main function of the fecal shield is defense against predators. Other terms for the fecal shield noted in the literature include "larval clothing", "kotanhang", "faecal mask", "faecal pad", and "exuvio-faecal annex".

<i>Phratora</i> Genus of beetles

Phratora is a genus of leaf beetles. It is synonymous to Phyllodecta . European Phratora species can be distinguished based on morphology of female genitalia., but they differ little in size and body form and most show metallic coloration.

<i>Phratora vitellinae</i> Species of beetle

Phratora vitellinae, the brassy leaf beetle, formerly Phyllodecta vitellinae, is a beetle of the family Chrysomelidae found in Europe and Asia. It feeds on Populus and Salix species. The evolution of its host plant preferences and the mechanism by which it uses host plant chemicals to make a larval defensive secretion have been the subject of intense study by research groups in Europe and the Nordic countries.

<i>Phratora laticollis</i> Species of beetle

Phratora laticollis is a species of leaf beetle found in Europe and Asia. This beetle is found on Populus species and the chemistry and production of its larval defensive secretions and host plant relationships have been studied extensively.

<i>Chrysomela aeneicollis</i> Species of beetle

Chrysomela aeneicollis is a species of leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. This organism has been used as a model for studies of natural selection in nature. It is currently being investigated to study effects of environmental change on insect populations, and the evolutionary significance of variation at genes affecting metabolism and the response to stress. It has been included as a study species in the California Conservation Genomics Project, due to its presence in multiple California ecoregions and extensive knowledge of genetic variation, evolutionary ecology, and interactions with other species. Information about its range and comparisons with closely related species can be found in a review of the genus Chrysomela published in the Canadian Entomologist.

<i>Symmorphus cristatus</i>

Symmorphus cristatus, the tufted potter wasp, is a species of potter wasp from the subfamily Eumeninae of the family Vespidae. This species is widely distributed in North America and it preys on beetle larvae.

<i>Phratora tibialis</i> Species of beetle

Phratora tibialis is a species of leaf beetle found in Europe and parts of Asia. This beetle is found on willows and the chemistry and production of its larval defensive secretions and host plant relationships have been studied extensively.

<i>Phratora polaris</i> Species of beetle

Phratora polaris is a species of leaf beetle found in the Nordic regions of Europe., occasionally in Scotland, and Iceland. Some authors have recorded it in central Europe, especially in the Alps. Historically, this species has occurred in Greenland. This beetle is found on willow (Salix) species in the southern part of its range. Populations in Lapland feed on birch.

Toxomerus basalis, commonly known as the sundew flower fly, is a species of kleptoparasitic fly endemic to Brazil. It was first described by Francis Walker in 1836. It feeds on captured, immobilized insects caught on the sticky leaves of sundew plants, which are carnivorous. Adult flies seem to have some capacity to escape from Drosera leaves if they have not come into contact with too many of the tentacles. The species is non-specific and have been found on large-leaved, semi-erect, and thread-like Drosera species, such as Drosera graomogolensis and Drosera magnifica.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Vockeroth, John Richard (1992). The flower flies of the subfamily Syrphinae of Canada, Alaska, and Greenland: Diptera, Syrphidae. Vol. 1867. Agriculture Canada. ISBN   0-660-13830-1.
  2. "Melander's Bristleside (Parasyrphus melanderi)". iNaturalist. Retrieved 2021-06-17.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Rank, N. E.; Smiley, J. T. (1994). "Host-plant effects on Parasyrphus melanderi Curran (Diptera: Syrphidae) feeding on a willow leaf beetle Chrysomela aeneicollis Schaeffer (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)". Ecological Entomology. 19: 31–38.
  4. 1 2 Curran, Charles Howard (1924). Contribution to a monograph of the Syrphidae (Diptera) from north of Mexico. Vol. 15. Lawrence, Kansas: University of Kansas.
  5. Otto, S. B.; Berlow, E. L.; Rank, N. E.; Smiley, J.; Brose, U. (2008). "Predator diversity and identity drive interaction strength and trophic cascades in a food web". Ecology. 89 (1): 134–44. ISSN   0012-9658.
  6. Rank, N. E. (1994). "Host plant effects on larval survival in a salicin-using leaf beetle Chrysomela aeneicollis (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)". Oecologia (Berlin). 97: 342–353.
  7. Smiley, J. T.; Rank, N. E. (1986). "Predator protection versus rapid growth in a montane leaf beetle". Oecologia. 70: 106–112.
  8. Smiley, J. T.; Horn, J. H.; Rank, N. E. (1985). "Ecological effects of salicin at three trophic levels: new problems from old adaptations". Science. 229: 649–651.
  9. 1 2 Rank, N. E.; Smiley, J. T.; Köpf, A. (1996). "Natural enemies and host plant relationships for chrysomeline leaf beetles feeding on Salicaceae". In P. H. Jolivet, M. L. Cox (ed.). Chrysomelidae Biology. Vol. 2: Ecological Studies. Amsterdam: SPB Publishing. pp. 147–171.
  10. Köpf, A.; Rank, N.; Roininen, H.; Tahvanainen, J. (1997). "Defensive larval secretions of leaf beetles attract a specialist predator Parasyrphus nigritarsis". Ecological Entomology. 22: 176–183.
  11. "Parasyrphus nigritarsis as important antagonist of Chrysomela populi" . Retrieved 2021-06-16.