Megaselia minor (Zetterstedt)

Disney, R. H. L., Prescher, S. & Ashmole, N. P., 2010, Scuttle flies (Diptera: Phoridae) of the Canary Islands, Journal of Natural History 44 (3 - 4), pp. 107-218 : 167-168

Megaselia minor (Zetterstedt)

( Figure 43 )

Trineura minor Zetterstedt, 1848 .

Aphiochaeta angustifrons Wood, 1912 .

Previous records

Gomera.

Natural history

This species has been reared from the corpses of Pentatoma rufipes (Pentatomidae) . It seems likely that the death of the bugs was caused by the fungus Beauveria bassania

(anamorphic “ Clavicipitaceae ”) on which the fly larvae were probably feeding ( Ceryngier et al. 2006). Adults have been recorded visting flowers of Pastinaca sativa (Apiaceae) .

Figures

Figure 43. Megaselia minor. (A) Female abdominal tergites 5–7. (B) Male frons, with bristles represented by their basal sockets only (al, anterolateral bristle; an, antial bristle; us, upper supra-antennal bristle). (C) Male, left face of hypopygium. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.