Pfaendler's grave insect
| Pfaendler's grave insect | ||||||||||||
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Xya pfaendleri | ||||||||||||
| ( Harz , 1970) |
Pfaendler's burial insect ( Xya pfaendleri ) is a species from the family of burial insects (Tridactylidae).
features
The animals reach a length of 4 to 5.5 millimeters (males) or 5 to 6.5 millimeters (females). They have a dark brown to black basic color with a weak, light yellowish to brownish pattern. Such spots are particularly found on the abdomen, on the legs and on the rear edge of the pronotum . The light brown splints (tibiae) of the middle pairs of legs are flattened. Like all species of the family, they have strongly chitinized forewings, which are covered by the fan-shaped folded hind wings. The thighs of the hind legs are also very strong.
Similar species
Occurrence
The species is common in southern Europe . The northern limit of distribution runs along the east bank of Lake Neusiedl and in the Valais . Pfaendler's grave insect lives on sandy, moist banks of standing and flowing waters. In particular, the area between the water and the bank vegetation is preferably populated. Imagines you can find almost any season, but in summer they are apparently rare.
Way of life
Pfaendler's grave insect feeds on algae that grow on grains of sand. The species builds irregular tunnels out of sand above the earth's surface, in which they stay especially when it rains.
credentials
- Heiko Bellmann : Der Kosmos Heuschreckenführer, The species of Central Europe safely determine , Franckh-Kosmos Verlag GmbH & Co KG, Stuttgart 2006, ISBN 3-440-10447-8 .
Web links
- Fauna Europaea: Taxonomy (English)