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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » "Aschiza" » Hover Flies (Syrphidae) » Eristalinae » Eristalini » Eristalina » Meromacrus » Meromacrus acutus
Photo#122075
Meromacrus acutus - male
Copyright © 2007 Cotinis

Meromacrus acutus - Male
Parkwood, Durham County, North Carolina, USA
June 21, 2007
Size: 18 mm
This fly appeared to be ovipositing repeatedly in a bucket of compost, but see comments--perhaps it was not doing so. Size estimated.

(Yes, comparing other images for this species on BugGuide, this must be a male.)

Images of this individual: tag all
Meromacrus acutus - male Meromacrus acutus - male
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Contributed by Cotinis on 27 June, 2007 - 5:38am
Last updated 29 June, 2012 - 7:35am

The touching eyes
are suggestive of a male!
… A.W. Thomas, 27 June, 2007 - 12:19pm login or register to post comments

 
Good point!
Well, maybe it was just dipping its abdomen for some reason on the compost--sure looked like ovipositing--but I did not see any eggs, so point well taken.

I'll turn off the M/F marker for now. Looking at our images here, we do seem to have some with the larger eyes (males?) and some with eyes that do not touch (presumed females).
… Cotinis, 27 June, 2007 - 12:37pm login or register to post comments

 
Mimicry?
I have seen many syrphids bob the abdomen up and down, which I suspect is part of the mimicry-reinforcement behavior, as many wasps have twitchy behinds as well:-)
… Eric R. Eaton, 27 June, 2007 - 12:53pm login or register to post comments

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