Sargus iridatus

Sargus iridatus, the iridescent centurion, is a European species of soldier fly.^[6][7][8]

Sargus iridatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Diptera
Family:	Stratiomyidae
Subfamily:	Sarginae
Genus:	Sargus
Species:	S. iridatus
Binomial name
Sargus iridatus (Scopoli, 1763)[1]
Synonyms
Musca indica Harris, 1776 Musca iridata Scopoli, 1763[1] Sargus indicus (Harris, 1776) Sargus infuscatus Meigen, 1822[2] Sargus nitidus Meigen, 1822[2] Musca caerulescens Villers, 1789[3] Sargus irradatus Schiner, 1855[4] Sargus coerulescens Bezzi, 1903[5]

Description

The body length is 6.0 to 11.0 mm. Like Sargus cuprarius, it is almost entirely purple. It has black antennae, the third segment of the antenna in males being shorter than the second. It has a whitish proboscis; the face and frons are metallic green. There are two clearly delineated white spots at the base of the antennae better developed in females. The thorax has blue reflections. It has black legs, with knees barely paler. The wings are uniformly smoky. It has dirty yellowish halteres. The abdomen is less violet, with black sternites.^{[9][10][11] [12]}

Biology

It is found in open and wooded habitats. Larval habitats are in dung, decomposing vegetable matter and compost.

Distribution

Its distribution covers western Europe, northern, and southern Europe, north up to Finland and European Russia.