Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods) ➔ Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods) ➔ Class Insecta (Insects) ➔ Order Diptera (True flies) ➔ Family Syrphidae (Hoverflies)

Merodon obscuritarsis Strobl, 1909

Synonyms and other combinations:

Merodon fuerteventurensis Barkemeyer, 2002 |

  • Merodon cf. obscuritarsis, female 8632
    Merodon obscuritarsis Strobl, 1909     
    Merodon cf. obscuritarsis, female
    ES, Fuerteventura, Costa Calma; 2019-03-07 13:43:20
    Image number: 8632
    female
    ES, Fuerteventura, Costa Calma
    2019-03-07 13:43:20

Classification:
Merodon obscuritarsis belongs to the subfamily Eristalinae, tribe Merodontini (=Eumerini).
Distribution:
Mediterranean basin, from Canary Islands to Caucasus, central Europe (Switzerland, Austria).
Habitat:
Forest, evergeen oak forest (Quercus ilex) and montane dry Pinus forest.
Description:
Size 13.6 – 15.6 mm
Biology:
Merodon obscuritarsis flies on the Iberian Peninsula from April to May and from July to September.
The adults visit the flowers of umbellifers, e.g. of the genus Thapsia, broom (Genista), spurge (Euphorbia), opuntia (Opuntia) and Caralluma burchardii (=Ceropegia burchardii).

References, further reading, links:
  1. Pape T. & Thompson F.C. (eds) (2017). Systema Dipterorum (version 2.0, Jan 2011). In: Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life, 2017 Annual Checklist (Roskov Y., Abucay L., Orrell T., Nicolson D., Bailly N., Kirk P.M., Bourgoin T., DeWalt R.E., Decock W., De Wever A., Nieukerken E. van, Zarucchi J., Penev L., eds.). Digital resource at www.catalogueoflife.org/annual-checklist/2017. Species 2000: Naturalis, Leiden, the Netherlands. ISSN 2405-884X.
  2. Marcos-García, M. Ángeles; Vujić, Ante; Mengual Sanchis, Ximo: Revision of Iberian species of the genus Merodon (Diptera: Syrphidae). European Journal of Entomology. 2007, 104(3). ISSN 1210-5759, pp. 531-572.