Platycheirus melanopsis

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Platycheirus melanopsis
Platycheirus melanopsis, Ben Vrackie (52972376203).jpg
Tarsus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Syrphidae
Subfamily: Syrphinae
Tribe: Bacchini
Genus: Platycheirus
Subgenus: Platycheirus
Species:
P. melanopsis
Binomial name
Platycheirus melanopsis
Loew, 1856

Platycheirus melanopsis is a species of hoverfly. It is found from northern Europe across to eastern Siberia. [1] [2] [3] The larva is described by Rotheray [4]

Contents

Description

A rather small and short Platycheirus with a protruding lower face related to Platycheirus manicatus and Platycheirus tarsalis . See references for determination. [5] [6] [7] [8]

Distribution and biology

Palearctic Sweden, Finland and Scotland, northern England, the Alps and the Pyrenees; eastwards through North Europe and the Alps into European Russia and Siberia. The habitat is calcareous montane grassland with Picea , Betula , Juniperus , Pinus mugo and alpine grassland up to 2,700m.Flowers visited include Androsace , Calamintha , Cerastium , Cirsium , Convolvulus , Crepis , Gypsophila , Helianthemum , Hornungia , Pinguicula , Potentilla erecta , Ranunculus , Rhododendron ferrugineum . Flies June to August dependent on altitude. The larva feeds on aphids. [9]

References

  1. ↑ 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.
  2. ↑ 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.
  3. ↑ 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.
  4. ↑ Rotheray, G. E. (1997) Larval stages of the predatory hoverflies Trichopsomyia flavitarsis (Meigen), Platycheirus melanopsis Loew and Parasyrphus nigritarsis (Zetterstedt) (Diptera: Syrphidae). Ent.Gaz., 48: 127-134.
  5. ↑ Van Veen, M. (2004). Hoverflies of Northwest Europe: identification keys to the Syrphidae. 256pp. KNNV Publishing, Utrecht.addendum.
  6. ↑ 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.
  7. ↑ 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.
  8. ↑ Coe, R.L. (1953). "Diptera: Syrphidae". Handbks. Ident. Br. Insects10(1): 1-98. R. Ent. Soc. London. pdf.
  9. ↑ Speight, M.C.D. (2011). "Species accounts of European Syrphidae (Diptera)" (PDF). Syrph the Net, the Database of European Syrphidae. 65: 285pp.


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