''Xyphosia miliaria'' is a species of tephritid or
fruit flies in the family
Tephritidae
The Tephritidae are one of two fly families referred to as fruit flies, the other family being the Drosophilidae. The family Tephritidae does not include the biological model organisms of the genus ''Drosophila'' (in the family Drosophilidae), w ...
.
Distribution
This species is present in most of
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
, in the eastern
Palearctic realm
The Palearctic or Palaearctic is the largest of the eight biogeographic realms of the Earth. It stretches across all of Eurasia north of the foothills of the Himalayas, and North Africa.
The realm consists of several bioregions: the Euro-Sibe ...
, and in the
Near East
The ''Near East''; he, המזרח הקרוב; arc, ܕܢܚܐ ܩܪܒ; fa, خاور نزدیک, Xāvar-e nazdik; tr, Yakın Doğu is a geographical term which roughly encompasses a transcontinental region in Western Asia, that was once the hist ...
.
Fauna europaea
/ref>
Habitat
This species occurs in wet meadows, in parks and gardens with the presence of thistles.
Description
''Xyphosia miliaria'' may have a body length of 5 to 8 mm and a wingspan of 15 to 18 mm.
/ref> The thorax and the abdomen are yellowish, sparsely covered with long bristles and the mesonotum is longer than wide. The abdomen is round in males, elongated in the females and the females bear at the end of the abdomen a dark brown, pointed ovipositor. The large compound eyes are orange-red. The wings are decorated with distinctive dark apical and transversal drawings.[Insectoid]
/ref>
Biology
The adults fly from May to September feeding on nectar and pollen of various flowering plants.[ Larvae develop on buds of thistles ('']Carduus nutans
''Carduus nutans'', with the common names musk thistle, nodding thistle, and nodding plumeless thistle, is a biennial plant in the daisy and sunflower family Asteraceae. It is native to regions of Eurasia.
Description
''Carduus nutans'' is usual ...
'', '' Cirsium arvense'', ''Cirsium palustre
''Cirsium palustre'', the marsh thistle or European swamp thistle, is a herbaceous biennial (or often perennial) flowering plant in the family Asteraceae.
''Cirsium palustre'' is a tall thistle which reaches up to in height. The strong stems ha ...
'', ''Cirsium eriophorum
''Cirsium eriophorum'', the woolly thistle, is a herbaceous biennial species of flowering plant in the genus ''Cirsium'' of the family Asteraceae. It is widespread across much of Europe. It is a large biennial plant with sharp spines on the tips ...
'').[
]
Gallery
File: Xyphosia miliaria.jpg, Side view
File:Xyphosia.miliaria.wing.detail.jpg, Wing detail
File: Xyphosia miliaria - oviposition - 2017-06-15.webm, Oviposition (video clip)
File:Xyphosia miliaria - 2013-08-10.webm, Feeding on thistle (video clip)
Bibliography
*Merz, B. - Faunistics of the Tephritidae of the Iberian Peninsula and the Baleares in Mitt. Schweiz. Entomol. Ges.
*Norrbom, A. L., Carroll, L. E., Thompson, F. C., White, I. M. & Freidberg, A. - Systematic database of names in Thompson, F. C. (Ed.) Fruit Fly Expert System and Systematic Information Database. Myia.
*Seguy, E. - F. Trypetidae in Faune de France. 28. Dipteres (Brachyceres) (Muscidae Acalypterae et Scatophagidae)
*White, I. M. - Tephritid flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects.10 (ser. 5a)
References
External links
Nature Spot
Barry Fotopage
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2598561
Tephritinae
Insects described in 1781
Articles containing video clips
Diptera of Europe
Diptera of Asia