Microdon myrmicae

Microdon myrmicae
	Microdon myrmicae Trawscoed, Wales
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Diptera
Family:	Syrphidae
Genus:	Microdon
Species:	M. myrmicae
Binomial name
	Microdon myrmicae; Schonrogge, Barr, Wardlaw, Napper, Gardner, Breen, Elmes & Thoma 2002

Microdon myrmicae is a species of hoverfly belonging to the family Syrphidae.[1]

It is a Palearctic species with a limited distribution in Europe (Ireland, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Norway, Poland and European Russia (Karelia).[2]

M. myrmicae is a parasite on Myrmica scabrinodis, M. gallieni and M.tulinae (Formicidae).

Microdon myrmicae lives sympatrically with other myrmecophiles including Phengaris alcon, P. nausithous and P. teleius (in one location all four species cooccur).[3]

Description

External images For terms see Morphology of Diptera
Wing length 6·75-8·25 mm. See references for determination [4] At present M.mutabilis is only reliably distinguished from M.myrmicae by features of the puparium.

Two color morphs of the species are known: individuals of either sex can be predominately gold-haired or silver-haired. However, more males appear to be silver than gold, and the reverse is true for females, suggesting a complex genetic mechanism.[5]

References

Speight, M.C.D. (2011). "Species accounts of European Syrphidae (Diptera)" (PDF). Syrph the Net, the database of European Syrphidae. 65: 285pp.
Fauna Europaea
Simona Bonelli, Andrew Worgan, Sophie Everett and Karsten Schonrogge Host specificity in Microdon myrmicae, a sympatric social parasite to the Maculinea in moist grassland ecosystems in Studies on the Ecology and Conservation of Butterflies in Europe vol. 2, pp.69-71 a_sympatric_soicial_parasite_to_the_Maculinea_in_moist_grassland_ecosystems
Van Veen, M. (2004) Hoverflies of Northwest Europe: identification keys to the Syrphidae. 256pp. KNNV Publishing, Utrecht.addendum
Wolton, R. J. (2017). "Colour dimorphism in the hoverfly Microdon myrmicae Schönrogge et al.(Diptera, Syrphidae)". Dipterists Digest. 24: 169–173.

External links

Øivind Gammelmo and Leif Aarvik The myrmecophilous fly Microdon myrmicae Schönrogge et al., 2002 (Diptera, Syrphidae) in Norway

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[Speight-1] Speight, M.C.D. (2011). "Species accounts of European Syrphidae (Diptera)" (PDF). Syrph the Net, the database of European Syrphidae. 65: 285pp.

[2] Fauna Europaea

[3] Simona Bonelli, Andrew Worgan, Sophie Everett and Karsten Schonrogge Host specificity in Microdon myrmicae, a sympatric social parasite to the Maculinea in moist grassland ecosystems in Studies on the Ecology and Conservation of Butterflies in Europe vol. 2, pp.69-71 a_sympatric_soicial_parasite_to_the_Maculinea_in_moist_grassland_ecosystems

[4] Van Veen, M. (2004) Hoverflies of Northwest Europe: identification keys to the Syrphidae. 256pp. KNNV Publishing, Utrecht.addendum

[5] Wolton, R. J. (2017). "Colour dimorphism in the hoverfly Microdon myrmicae Schönrogge et al.(Diptera, Syrphidae)". Dipterists Digest. 24: 169–173.