Episyrphus viridaureus

Episyrphus viridaureus
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Diptera
Family:	Syrphidae
Genus:	Episyrphus
Species:	E. viridaureus
Binomial name
Episyrphus viridaureus (Wiedemann, 1824)

Episyrphus viridaureus is a species of hoverfly.

Morphology

This hoverfly has orange yellow body with narrow dark bands at the abdomen. The upper side of the thorax covered with black metallic shield and the rest is covered with orange-yellow hair. Between the dark purple eyes is a metallic blue part at the forehead. Its size is up to 35 mm, typically 10–20 mm.

The coloration of the abdomen is markedly temperature-dependent, with anterior and posterior bands thicker when pupae were reared at 15° instead than 25°. Conversely, colour of antennae, marking on the lunule, extent of microtrichia on the alula, sternal markings and «the 'theme' of abdominal patterns» are independent from temperature.

Range

It occurs on the east coast of Australia, where it is the most frequently collected Episyrphus species, from the Iron Range in northern Queensland up to south of Sydney; it also occurs in Malaysia, Indonesia and New Caledonia and, according to GBIF, also in India and southeast Asia.

Biology

E. viridaureus lives comfortably in disturbed or suburban environments. Females lay eggs often on plants such as Ageratum houstonianum and Sonchus oleraceus.

As for other Episyrphus species, larvae are aphid eaters; species often predated are Brachybaudus helichrysi, Hypermyzus lactucae, Toxoptera citricidus, Aphis nerii and Aphis gossypii.

External links

• Media related to Episyrphus viridaureus at Wikimedia Commons