Mesembrina meridiana
Encyclopedia
Mesembrina meridiana is a species
of fly
, sometimes known as the noon fly. It is widespread and common
between late April and late October, particularly in cattle-rearing areas. It is a large black fly with orange colouration on the base of its wings, on the feet and the face. Adults are most often seen on cow dung, basking in open ground or visiting flowers to feed upon nectar. Eggs
are laid in cow dung
, the larva
e are carnivorous
, and feed on other fly larvae within the dung. The female lays up to five eggs in a lifetime, each one in a different pat, at two day intervals.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of fly
Fly
True flies are insects of the order Diptera . They possess a pair of wings on the mesothorax and a pair of halteres, derived from the hind wings, on the metathorax...
, sometimes known as the noon fly. It is widespread and common
Common species
-Definitions:Common species and uncommon species are designations used in ecology to describe the population status of a species. Commonness is closely related to abundance. Abundance refers to the frequency with which a species is found in controlled samples; in contrast, species are defined as...
between late April and late October, particularly in cattle-rearing areas. It is a large black fly with orange colouration on the base of its wings, on the feet and the face. Adults are most often seen on cow dung, basking in open ground or visiting flowers to feed upon nectar. Eggs
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
are laid in cow dung
Feces
Feces, faeces, or fæces is a waste product from an animal's digestive tract expelled through the anus or cloaca during defecation.-Etymology:...
, the larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e are carnivorous
Carnivore
A carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of animal tissue, whether through predation or scavenging...
, and feed on other fly larvae within the dung. The female lays up to five eggs in a lifetime, each one in a different pat, at two day intervals