Caliprobola speciosa is a Palearctic hoverfly. It is an ancient woodland bioindicator.

Caliprobola speciosa
Caliprobola speciosa Netherlands
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Syrphidae
Subfamily: Eristalinae
Tribe: Milesiini
Genus: Caliprobola
Species:
C. speciosa
Binomial name
Caliprobola speciosa
(Rossi, 1790)[1]
Synonyms
Habitat.Bagni di Lucca, Italy

Description edit

For terms see Morphology of Diptera
Caliprobola speciosa is a large (wingspan : 13–17 mm. slender -bodied hoverfly. The body is brassy aeneous or dark metallic green. The base of the abdomen is black. Tergites 2, 3 and 4 have a thin black transverse line followed by a broad metallic green band, a thin black transverse line broken in the middle and a transverse stripe of golden hairs. The prominent orange yellow frons is projecting and coned. The face is yellow. The legs are yellow, only the base of the femora black. The wings are yellowish and dark shaded at the tip.[2][3][4][5][6][7] The larva is described and figured by Rotheray (1994) [8]

Distribution edit

Europe, from southern England to northern Spain and across the Palearctic as far as eastern Siberia.Not in Scandinavia and northern regions.[9][10]

Biology edit

The habitat is Quercus and Fagus and Castanea ancient woodland where the larvae develop in decaying stumps. Flowers visited are white umbellifers, Caltha, Crataegus, Rorippa, Rubus, Sorbus aucuparia, Tamarix. Adults fly from mid May to mid July.[11]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Rossi, Pietro (1790). Fauna Etrusca. Sistens insecta quae in provinciis Florentina et Pisana praesertim collegit. Vol. 2. Liburni [=Livorno].: Masi. pp. 348 pp., 10 pls.
  2. ^ Bradescu, V. (1991) Les Syrphides de Roumanie (Diptera, Syrphidae), Clés de détermination et répartition. Trav.Mus.Hist. nat. Grigore Antipa, 31: 7-83.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ Stubbs, Alan E. & Falk, Steven J. (1983). British Hoverflies: An Illustrated Identification Guide (2nd (revised) ed.). British Entomological & Natural History Society. p. 271, xvpp. ISBN 0-9502891-3-2.
  5. ^ Bei-Bienko, G.Y. & Steyskal, G.C. (1988a) 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.
  6. ^ Van Veen, M. (2004) Hoverflies of Northwest Europe: identification keys to the Syrphidae. 256pp. KNNV Publishing, Utrecht.addendum
  7. ^ Coe, R.L. (1953) Diptera: Syrphidae. Handbks.ident.Br.insects, 10(1): 1-98. R.ent.Soc.London. pdf Archived 2018-10-04 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ Rotheray G., 1993 Colour Guide to Hoverfly Larvae Diptera, Syrphidae in Britain and Europe Dipterists Forum pdf Archived 2019-04-03 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ Fauna Europaea
  10. ^ Peck, L.V. (1988) Syrphidae. In: Soos, A. & Papp, L. (eds.) Catalogue of Palaearctic Diptera, 8: 11-230. Akad.Kiado, Budapest.
  11. ^ Speight, M.C.D. (2011). "Species accounts of European Syrphidae (Diptera)" (PDF). Syrph the Net, the database of European Syrphidae. 65: 285pp.

External links edit