Platystoma is a genus of flies (Diptera) belonging to the family Platystomatidae.

Platystoma
Platystoma lugubre
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Platystomatidae
Subfamily: Platystomatinae
Genus: Platystoma
Meigen 1803[1]
Type species
Musca seminationis
Fabricius, 1775
Synonyms

Description edit

Platystoma species are small flies reaching a length of 4–10 millimeters. The body is black speckled with small whitish or yellowish markings, while the eyes are usually red. They have a quite broad proboscis (hence the Latin name Platystoma, meaning "broad mouth"). The wings are blackish with clear speckles. These flies show a complex mating ritual.

Distribution edit

Species belonging to this genus are present in most of Europe, in the eastern Palearctic realm, in the Near East and in North Africa.

Taxonomy edit

The genus is in need of revision to clarify the position of many subspecies that are currently listed. Most of these subspecies were designated by Hennig,[3] but some have been raised to full species since.[4][5] The list below incorporates those names more recently upgraded to species, but leaves the remainder of the subspecies designated by Hennig as subspecies until their position can be rectified by revision.

Species edit

References edit

  1. ^ Meigen, J.W. (1803). "Versuch einer neuen Gattungs-Eintheilung der europäische n zweiflugligen Insekten". Magazin für Insektenkunde. 2: 259–281. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  2. ^ Robineau-Desvoidy, André Jean Baptiste (1830). "Essai sur les myodaires". Mémoires presentés à L'Institut des Sciences, Lettres et Arts, par divers savants et lus dans ses assemblées: Sciences, Mathématiques et Physique. 2 (2): 1–813. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  3. ^ Hennig, W. 1945. [Chapter] 48. Platystomatidae. In: Lindner, E. ed, Die Fliegen der Paläarktischen Region, Vol. 5. Stuttgart, E. Schweizerbart’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, pp.1-62.
  4. ^ Soós, A. 1978. Taxonomische und faunistische untersuchungen über die Mongolischen Platystomatidae (Diptera). Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 24(1-2): 187-203.
  5. ^ Rivosecchi, L. 2000. Contribution to the knowledge of Italian species of genus Platystoma (Diptera, Platystomatidae). Fragmenta Entomologica 32(1): 163-179.

External links edit