Clitellaria ephippium

Clitellaria ephippium is a species of soldier fly (so named for the thorns that armor the body) belonging to the family Stratiomyidae.^[7][8]

Clitellaria ephippium
Clitellaria ephippium. Male, side view
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Diptera
Family:	Stratiomyidae
Subfamily:	Clitellariinae
Genus:	Clitellaria
Species:	C. ephippium
Binomial name
Clitellaria ephippium (Fabricius, 1775)[1]
Synonyms
Stratiomys ephippium Fabricius, 1775[1] Musca sellata Fuessly, 1775[2] Musca inda Schrank, 1781[3] Stratiomys schaefferi Geoffroy, 1785[4] Stratiomys coccinea Geoffroy, 1785[4] Ephippium thoracicum Latreille, 1805[5] Stratiomys euphippium Róndani, 1856[6]

Distribution

This species is present in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Hungary, central and southern Russia, Spain and in Switzerland.^[9]

Description

Clitellaria ephippium. Dorsal view

The adults grow up to 10–13 millimetres (0.39–0.51 in) long. The most of their body is black, with a bright red mesonotum. Antennae are no longer than the head, the third articulation of antennae is composed of five segments, the stylet of two segments. The eyes are dark and quite hairy. Scutellum is hairy and mesonotum shows two strong apico-lateral spines. Scutum has two strong lateral spines, placed between the transverse suture and the insertion of the wings. The abdomen is relatively wide. The wings are dark.^[10][11]

Biology

The predatory larvae of this species develop in ant nests, such as Lasius fuliginosus (synonym Formica fuliginosa) (Formicidae).^[12]

Bibliography

• Rozkošný, R. 1998. Chapter 24. Family Stratiomyidae. Manual Palaearct. Dipt. 2: 387-411.
• Joachim Haupt, Hiroko Haupt: Fliegen und Mücken. Beobachtung, Lebensweise. 1. Auflage. Naturbuch-Verlag, Jena und Stuttgart 1995, ISBN 3-89440-278-4.