Microdon mutabilis | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Diptera |
Family: | Syrphidae |
Genus: | Microdon |
Species: | M. mutabilis
|
Binomial name | |
Microdon mutabilis | |
Synonyms | |
|
Microdon mutabilis, is a species of hoverfly. It is found in many parts of Britain and Europe. The distinctive almost slug-like larvae live in ants' nests. [1] They are hemispherical in shape, heavily armoured and believed to prey on the eggs and larvae of a number of ant species, including Formica lemani, Formica fusca, Lasius niger and Myrmica ruginodis. [2] It was described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. [3]
Wing length 6–9 mm. Pterostigma 2-2.5 times as long as the length of the wing margin between ends of wing veins R1 and R2+3. Scutellum red or dark red. The male genitalia are figured by Doczkal and Schmid (1999). [4] Note M. mutabilis is only reliably distinguished from M. myrmicae by features of the puparium. See references for determination. [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]
Microdon mutabilis | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Diptera |
Family: | Syrphidae |
Genus: | Microdon |
Species: | M. mutabilis
|
Binomial name | |
Microdon mutabilis | |
Synonyms | |
|
Microdon mutabilis, is a species of hoverfly. It is found in many parts of Britain and Europe. The distinctive almost slug-like larvae live in ants' nests. [1] They are hemispherical in shape, heavily armoured and believed to prey on the eggs and larvae of a number of ant species, including Formica lemani, Formica fusca, Lasius niger and Myrmica ruginodis. [2] It was described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. [3]
Wing length 6–9 mm. Pterostigma 2-2.5 times as long as the length of the wing margin between ends of wing veins R1 and R2+3. Scutellum red or dark red. The male genitalia are figured by Doczkal and Schmid (1999). [4] Note M. mutabilis is only reliably distinguished from M. myrmicae by features of the puparium. See references for determination. [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]