Cheilosia ahenea is a Palearctic species of hoverfly.[2]

Cheilosia ahenea
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Syrphidae
Genus: Cheilosia
Species:
C. ahenea
Binomial name
Cheilosia ahenea
(von Roser, 1840)[1]
Synonyms

Cheilosia laskai Speight, 1978

Description

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External images For terms see Morphology of Diptera
Black with infuscated wings. Adult males have a shining abdomen, and all-black legs. Thorax with pale hairs of a single length, sternites weakly dusted, scutellar bristles sometimes lacking. Identification by examination of the male genitalia.[3][4] The male genitalia are figured by Barkalov and Ståhls,(1997) [5]

Distribution

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Cheilosia ahenea is a Palearctic species with a limited distribution in Europe - Central Europe, North Spain, Ireland.[6]

Biology

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The habitat is grassland including both calcareous and non-calcareous subalpine pasture, in central Europe in the montane zone up to nearly 2000 metres. In Ireland, this species occurs on the coast at sea level, in calcareous grassland. Adult habitat and habits. The insect flies close to the ground and often settles on bare ground or stones. It also hovers. Flowers visited include Ranunculus, Taraxacum, Antennaria, Dryas, and Hieracium The flight period is May to July.[7]

References

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  1. ^ Roser, K. L. F. von . (1840). "Erster Nachtrag zu dem im Jahre 1834 bekannt gemachten Verzeichnisse in Wurttemberg vorkommender zweiflugliger Insekten". Correspondenzbl. K. Wurttemb. Landw. Ver., Stuttgart 37. 17 (1): 49–64.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ Van Veen, M. (2004) Hoverflies of Northwest Europe: identification keys to the Syrphidae. 256pp. KNNV Publishing, Utrecht.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ Barkalov, A.V. & Ståhls, G. (1997) Revision of the Palaearctic bare-eyed and black-legged species of the genus Cheilosia Meigen (Diptera, Syrphidae). Acta Zool. Fennica, 208: 1-74.
  6. ^ Fauna Europaea
  7. ^ Speight, M.C.D. (2011). "Species accounts of European Syrphidae (Diptera)" (PDF). Syrph the Net, the database of European Syrphidae. 65: 285pp.