Palpada
| Palpada | |
|---|---|
| Palpada sp. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Diptera |
| Family: | Syrphidae |
| Subfamily: | Eristalinae |
| Tribe: | Eristalini |
| Subtribe: | Eristalina |
| Genus: | Palpada Macquart, 1854 |
| Type species | |
| Palpada scutellaris Fabricius, 1805 | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Doliosyrphus Bigot, 1882a | |
Palpada is a genus of 85 neotropical and nearctic flower flies or hoverflies. This genus is often colorful and bee-like. It is in the tribe Eristaliini containing dozens of genera. Common sister genera include Eristalis (99 species), Meromacrus (43 sp.), Eristalinus (100 sp.) and Helophilus (50 sp.). The genus Palpada is distinguished by:
- Eyes with uniform pile.
- Meron with fine pale hairs in front of or below spiracle.
- Hind femur with basal patch of dense black setulae.
- Cell r2+3 closed before wing margin.
- R4+5 moderately to strongly dipped into cell r4+5.
The larvae are aquatic and have a distinctive shape, usually being referred to as rat-tailed. The rat-tail is a breathng tube that allows the larvae to live in low oxygen water.