Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Fly mimicking plants?
Posted by l2oBiN on 12-01-2009 14:14
#1
I was astounded when I found this fly in a arrangementthat mimicks that of tthe plant it was resting. I beleive the fly was dead, but was wondering does this really happen? Can flies actually see a plant arrangement and predictivelly place their bodies o complete the missing leaf? How do they know what they look like?
Dat: 20/9/08 Sydney, Australia.
Size: ~1cm
Time: Morning ~ 8am (sunrise)
Edited by l2oBiN on 12-01-2009 14:36
Posted by pwalter on 12-01-2009 14:26
#2
Hi, there's no photo - try to cut photo to be max 600x600 and name should be without space and special characters - unless it won't be attached.
Posted by l2oBiN on 12-01-2009 14:29
#3
pwalter wrote:
Hi, there's no photo - try to cut photo to be max 600x600 and name should be without space and special characters - unless it won't be attached.
Finally. I had spaces in the filename....
Posted by jorgemotalmeida on 12-01-2009 14:30
#4
date, local, size... etc etc. seems to be a tachinid
Edited by jorgemotalmeida on 12-01-2009 14:31
Posted by pwalter on 12-01-2009 14:39
#5
I think there are some fungi growing out from abdomen (white spots) so it is likely to be dead already.
Posted by l2oBiN on 12-01-2009 14:41
#6
Its not the fact its dead that interests me but rather the arrangement in which it sat. Was this a coincidence?
By the way here is a blowup of the abdomen (tonned down a bit). I am not sure if tit is fungi or actually maggots. Thre appears to be a hole in the bottom (6 o'clock) in the abdomen from which the maggod might have gotten out from. Or could another fly lay eggs on this one?
Edited by l2oBiN on 12-01-2009 14:49
Posted by lagura on 12-01-2009 14:57
#7
I think it was a coincidence.
Fungus infected flies, in the finale stage of infection, often climbs to a high altitude. The infection, presumably, affects their oxygen intake and a higher altitude would then make breathing a bit easier. Unfortunately it also helps the fungus spors to spread easier and infect other flies.
Even after they are dead you can find them holding on to whatever they chose to hold on to, and thef often hold their wings in an unnatural angle.
I one day found hundreds of dead or dying Melanostoma syrphids, all fungus infected, all on top of various plants. Som even on top of eachother. A very sad sight.
Edited by lagura on 12-01-2009 14:58
Posted by Tony Irwin on 12-01-2009 21:34
#8
The fungus has evolved to alter the behaviour of the fly so that its spores are more easily dispersed. This particular specimen happens to be sitting on a plant which it resembles in shape - but it might equally well be sitting on a grass stem. The resemblance to the plant is co-incidental, as Lars suggests.
Edited by Tony Irwin on 12-01-2009 21:34
Posted by l2oBiN on 13-01-2009 02:00
#9
Thank you everyone