Phormia
| Phormia regina | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Diptera |
| Family: | Calliphoridae |
| Genus: |
Phormia Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 |
| Species: | P. regina |
| Binomial name | |
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Phormia regina Meigen, 1826 |
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| Synonyms | |
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The species Phormia regina, more commonly known as the black blow fly, belongs to the blow fly family Calliphoridae. Although some authorities merge both the blow fly group (Calliphoridae) and the flesh fly group (Sarcophagidae) together in the family Metopiidae, key distinguishable physical traits allow for this separation.
Wings of this fly are specialized having a sharp bend halfway through the wing and they are also known to have a well-developed calypter. Blow flies are about the size of a house fly or a little larger, many are metallic blue or green. Key characteristics of this species include black gena, mostly white calypteres and anterior thoracic spiracles that appear to be orange yellow due to being surrounded by bright orange setae.
Phormia regina was described by the German entolomogist Johann Wilhelm Meigen in 1826. Its specific epithet is derived from the Latin regina 'queen'. Meigen's career works were mainly involved in the taxonomical aspect of identifying different species of Diptera. Spending a lot of time classifying species based on wing ventilation as well as, antennae, he discovered this was not sufficient to classify these dipteran species. He then reasoned that species can only identified by combination of characteristics; this technique later became known as the eclectic method.
The life cycle and development of Phormia regina is similar to that of most other dipteran species, in which females oviposit their eggs into a nutrient substrate and after hatching the larvae continue feeding throughout three instar stages until they have stored up enough calories to commence pupation and finally emerge as adult blow flies. Each transition from first, second, and third instar is marked by a molt, and eventually the third-instar larvae develop sclerotized (hardened) casings which envelop and protect them throughout metamorphosis.
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Wikipedia