Melanostoma dubium is a Palearctic species of hoverfly.[2][3]

Melanostoma dubium
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Syrphidae
Genus: Melanostoma
Species:
M. dubium
Binomial name
Melanostoma dubium
Synonyms
  • Chilosia freyi Hellen, 1949
  • Pachysphyria sexpunctata Enderlein, 1938
  • Pachysphyria flavitibia Enderlein, 1938[1]

Description

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A small black (4–6 mm long) fly, dark bronze or green bronze, with pale abdominal markings. It is hard to separate this species from other Melanostoma.[4][5]

Distribution and biology

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Found from Fennoscandia south to the Pyrenees and from Scotland east through North Europe and the mountains Central Europe into European Russia and on through Siberia to Yakutia. The habitat is montane and alpine grassland and moor. Flowers visited include Carex, Potentilla erecta, Ranunculus. Flies from July to August dependent on altitude.[6]

References

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  1. ^ Insecta pro
  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. ^ Morris, Roger K. A. (1999). Hoverflies of Surrey. Surrey Wildlife Trust. p. 244. ISBN 0-9526065-3-4.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ 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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