Phaonia pallida, the muscid fly or orange muscid fly, is a species of fly in the family Muscidae.[1]
Phaonia pallida | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Phaonia pallida, Female | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Diptera |
Family: | Muscidae |
Subfamily: | Phaoniinae |
Tribe: | Phaoniini |
Genus: | Phaonia |
Species: | P. pallida
|
Binomial name | |
Phaonia pallida (Fabricius, 1787)
| |
Synonyms | |
|
Distribution and habitat
editThis species is distributed across parts of the Palearctic – Europe (including Sicily and the Azores), Russia, and Asia (Israel, Turkey, and Iran).[2][3] These flies mainly inhabit deciduous forests and woodland, especially spruce forest edge.[4][5]
Description
editPhaonia pallida can reach a length of about 5.5–7.9 millimetres (0.22–0.31 in). These flies have an orange body with a very hairy thorax.[4][5] The antennae are composed by three articles and bear a feathery arista. The legs and the balancers are yellow, while the tarsi are black. The eyes are dark red, separated by a yellow marking in the females, while in males they are very close to each other.[6]
Biology
editAdults fly from May to September, feeding on nectar of flowers (especially of Heracleum sphondylium).[4][5][6] Its larvae have been found growing in various fungi (Amanita rubescens, Clitocybe nebularis, Paralepista flaccida, Xerula radicata, Hymenopellis radicata, Amanita muscaria) [6] but also in rotten wood and under tree bark.[5][7] The last larval instar of Phaonia pallida is carnivorous, feeding on small insects.[5][8]
Bibliography
edit- Chandler, Peter J. (2010). A Dipterist's Handbook (2nd Edition). The Amateur Entomologist. 15. Orpington, Kent, England: Amateur Entomologists' Society. pp. 525pp
- D'Assis Fonseca, E.C.M (1968). Diptera Cyclorrhapha Calyptrata: Muscidae. Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects. 10. London.: Royal Entomological Society of London. pp. 118pp.
- Gregor, F.; Rozkosny, R.; Bartak, M.; Vanhara, J. (2002). The Muscidae (Diptera) of Central Europe. Scientiarum Naturalium Universitatis Masarykianae Brunensis. 107. Masaryk.: Masaryk University. pp. 280pp.
References
edit- ^ BioLib
- ^ Catalogue of life
- ^ Fauna europaea
- ^ a b c Nature Spot
- ^ a b c d e J.K. Lindsey Commanster
- ^ a b c Un monde dans mon jardin
- ^ Chandler, Peter J. (2010). A Dipterist's Handbook. The Amateur Entomologist. Vol. 15 (2nd ed.). Orpington, Kent, England: Amateur Entomologists' Society. pp. 525pp.
- ^ Jan Sevck Diptera (excluding Mycetophilidae S. str.) associated with fungi in Czech and Slovak Republics: a survey of rearing records from 1998-2000
- Data related to Phaonia pallida at Wikispecies
- Media related to Phaonia pallida at Wikimedia Commons