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Beris

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For places in Iran, see Beris, Iran.

Beris is a genus of flies in the family Stratiomyidae.[6][7][8] They are also referred to as the false soldier fly. As described by Latreille in 1802, these are small to medium sized flies with metallic colors.

Beris
Beris vallata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Stratiomyidae
Subfamily: Beridinae
Genus: Beris
Latreille, 1802[1]
Type species
Musca chalybata
Synonyms

Taxonomy

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Scientific Classification
Domain Eukaryota
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Arthropoda
Class Insecta
Order Dipteria
Family Stratiomyidae
Subfamily Beridinae
Genus Beris

Description

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These are flies with elongated bodies and reduced palpi. The scutellum typically features spines and the abdomen has seven visible segments. They are characterized as having black or metallic green thorax, black or orange abdomen and darkened wings in some species.[9]

Habitat and Behavior

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Soldier flies are primarily found in tropical regions but are widespread globally. The larvae are scavengers, inhabiting decaying organic matter, wet moss, compost, and aquatic environments. Adults are typically found near larval habitats, frequenting flowers and forming swarms.[10] These swarms are normally observed arounf foliage near mountain valleys, marshes, and damp places.[11]

Morphology

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Bright, metallic colored species sometimes resemble wasps or bees. The wing venation is a strongly specific characteristic of the family, with interior veins and a small discal cell in the anterior half of the wing.[12] The antennae show structural variations, and the scutellum is equipped with spines.

The larval body is flat with a strongly sclerotized head capsule, three thoracic and about 8 abdominal body segments. The cuticle has a honeycomb-like appearance due to calcium carbonate secretions. The mandibles and maxillae are fused together, forming two distinct mandibular-maxillary complexes. These complexed move alternately in a vertical plain. Terrestrial larvae are elongated and oval with a rounded abdominal end, while aquatic or semi-aquatic larvae have a tapering posterior end with a crown of hydrofuge hair.[12]

The larvae are not predatory or parasitic. They feed on detritus, while their specialized mouthparts serve as sweeping apparatus. Aquatic larvae feed on decaying leaves, micro-organisms and detritus, while the Oxycera larvae feed on algae on moist rocks.[13] Some adults are nectar feeders, indicated by an elongated proboscis and narrow labella, however, most of the species have a relatively short proboscis with a large fleshy labella which consume pollen grains and honeydew.[14][15]

In general, male flies in the genus Beris tend to be slightly smaller in size compared to females. Their eyes are contiguous in the male.[16] The coloration of the body and wings can vary between species and exhibit sexual dimorphism

Life Cycle

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In temperate regions, the life cycle is annual. The larvae may hibernate several times. The eggs are usually pale yellow and elongated. The female is capable of laying 600 or more eggs per batch. Pupation takes place within the final larval skin, or puparium. The pupa is much smaller than puparium since the remaining space is filled with air to allow floatation upon the water's surface.[17]

Species

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References

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  1. ^ Latreille, P.A. (1802). Histoire naturelle, generale et particuliere, des crustaces et des insectes. Tome troisieme. Paris: Dufart. pp. xii + 13–467 + 1 pp.
  2. ^ a b c Forster, J.R. (1771). Novae species insectorum. Centuria I. London: Davies & White. pp. viii + 100 pp. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
  3. ^ Meigen, J. W. (1803). "Versuch einer neuen Gattungs-Eintheilung der europaischen zweiflugligen Insekten". Mag. Insektenkd. 2: 259–281.
  4. ^ a b Lioy, P. (1864). "I ditteri distribuiti secondo un nuovo metodo di classificazione naturale da Paolo Lioy colla descrizione delle famiglie e dei generi, colla indicazione delle specie trovate indigene nell'Italia settentrionale o che per analogie geografiche sarà facile incontrarvi, e con osservazioni sulla loro storia naturale, compilate particolarmente sull'opera di Macquart, Histoire naturelle dei dipteres, e su altri studi propri e di più recenti entomologi [part]". Atti dell'Imperial Regio Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti (3). 9 (5): 569–604.
  5. ^ Enderlein, Günther (1921). "Uber die phyletisch alteren Stratiomyiiden-Subfamilien (Xylophaginae, Chiromyzinae, Solvinae, Beridinae und Coenomyiinae)". Mitteilungen aus dem Zoologischen Museum in Berlin. 10: 150–214. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  6. ^ Stubbs, Alan E; Drake, Martin (2014). British Soldierflies and their allies (an illustrated guide to their identification and ecology) (2 ed.). Reading: British Entomological and Natural History Society. pp. 528 pp, 20 plates. ISBN 9781899935079.
  7. ^ Woodley, N.E. (2001). "A World Catalog of the Stratiomyidae (Diptera)". Myia. 11: 1–462. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  8. ^ Zeegers, T.; Schulten, A. (2022). Families of Flies with Three Pulvilli: Field Guide Northwest Europe. Graveland: Jeugdbondsuitgeverij. pp. 256pp. ISBN 9789051070682.
  9. ^ Falck, Morten (2007). "Notes on the Norwegian species of Beris Latreille, 1802 (Diptera, Stratiomyidae)". Norw. J. Entomol. 54: 55–58.
  10. ^ Woodley, N. E.  2009.  Family Stratiomyidae, pp. 100-106.   In, J. Gerlach  (Ed.).  The Diptera of the Seychelles islands.  Pensoft Publishers, Sofia and Moscow.  431 pp.  Published February 2009
  11. ^ Rozkosný R (1973) The Stratiomyioidea (Diptera) of Fennoscandia and Denmark. Vol. 1. Fanua Entomologica Scandinavia. Scandinavian Science Press, Gadstrup, 151 pp.
  12. ^ a b Kovac, D., & Rozkošný, R. (2004). Insecta: Diptera, Stratiomyidae. Freshwater Invertebrates of the Malaysian Region; Yule, CM, Yong, HS, Eds, 798.
  13. ^ Kovac, D., & Rozkošný, R. (2004). Insecta: Diptera, Stratiomyidae. Freshwater Invertebrates of the Malaysian Region; Yule, CM, Yong, HS, Eds, 800.
  14. ^ Olroyd H. (1969) Diptera Brachycera. Section (a) Tabanoidea and Asiloidea. Handbook for Identification of British Insects 9: 1–132.
  15. ^ Beuk P.L.T. (1990) Honeydew as food source for insects in particular for soldier flies (Diptera: Stratiomyidae). Phegea 18: 137–140.
  16. ^ Narchuk, E. P. (1988). Bei-Bienko, G. Ya (ed.). "Stratiomyidae". Keys to the Insects of the European Part of the USSR. 5 (Part 2 English edition).
  17. ^ Kovac, D., & Rozkošný, R. (2004). Insecta: Diptera, Stratiomyidae. Freshwater Invertebrates of the Malaysian Region; Yule, CM, Yong, HS, Eds, 802.
  18. ^ a b c d Yang, D.; Nagatomi, A. (1992). "A study of the Chinese Beridinae (Diptera: Stratiomyidae)". South Pacific Study. 12 (2): 129–178.
  19. ^ a b c Cui, W.N.; Li, Z.; Yang, D. (2010). "Five new species of Beris (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) from China". Entomotaxonomia. 32: 277–283.
  20. ^ Johnson, C.W. (1926). "A note on Beris annulifera (Bigot)" (PDF). Psyche: A Journal of Entomology. 33 (4–5): 108–109. doi:10.1155/1926/91870. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  21. ^ Brunetti, E. (1912). "New Oriental Diptera. I". Records of the Indian Museum. 7: 445–513, pl. 37. doi:10.5962/bhl.part.28244. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  22. ^ Linnaeus, C. (1767). Systema naturae ... Ed. 12 (revised.) Vol. 1 (2). Holmiae [= Stockholm]: L.Salvii. pp. 533-1327 + [37] pp.
  23. ^ a b c d e Li, Z.; Zhang, T.T.; Yang, D. (2009). "Eleven new species of Beridinae (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) from China". Entomotaxonomia. 31 (3): 206–220.
  24. ^ James, M. T. (1970b). "A new Beris (Dipt., Stratiomyidae) from Cyprus". Entomologist's Monthly Magazine. 106 (1271–1273): 121–122.
  25. ^ a b Li, Y.; Zhang, T.T.; Yang, D. (2011). "Two new species of Beris from China (Diptera, Stratiomyidae)". Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica. 36 (1): 49–51.
  26. ^ Meigen, J.W. (1820). Systematische Beschreibung der bekannten europäische n zweiflugeligen Insekten. Aachen: Zweiter Theil. Forstmann. pp. xxxvi + 363. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  27. ^ Curtis, J. (1830). British entomology. Vol. 7. London: Privately published. pp. Pls 334–337.
  28. ^ Stuke, J.-H. (2004). "Eine neue Art der Gattung Beris Latreille, 1802 aus Mitteleuropa (Diptera: Stratiomyidae)". Beiträge zur Entomologie. 54 (2): 333–342. doi:10.21248/contrib.entomol.54.2.333-342.
  29. ^ Ouchi, Y. (1943). "Contributiones ad Congnitionem Insectorum Asiae Orientalis 13. Notes on some dipterous insects from Japan and Manchoukuo". Shanghai Sizenkagaku Kenkyuso Iho. 13: 483–492.
  30. ^ James, M.T. (1937). "A preliminary review of certain families of Diptera from the Florissant Miocene Beds". The Journal of Paleontology. 11: 241–247.
  31. ^ Dale, J.C. (1841). "Beris Morrisii of Curtis's Guide". Entomologist. 1: 175.
  32. ^ Qi, F.; Zhang, T.T.; Yang, D. (2011). "Three new species of Beridinae from China (Diptera, Stratiomyidae)". Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica. 36 (2): 278–281.


 

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