Manx robber fly
Encyclopedia
The Manx robber fly, is one of the 7,100 species of robber fly or Asilidae
known throughout the world, and one of 28 asilids known to occur in the British Isles
.
in the 1940s, hence the name 'Manx', meaning from the Isle of Man, although this species has been referred to as the Irish robber fly in British Soldierflies and their Allies
. It was originally thought to be endemic to the island but has since also been found across the Irish Sea
on sand dunes on the east coast of Ireland
. There are no authenticated records from the United Kingdom
. Speight also found the fly in Germany in 1987 and has identified flies from museum
specimens collected from north Germany
, the Netherlands
, northern France
and Hungary
to be M. cowini, not M. cingulatus as formerly believed.
It was first discovered in the curragh
(willow carr/swamp) habitat
in the north of Isle of Man and was recorded there again in the mid 1990s when a pair was caught in a pan trap by Steve Crellin, a local entomologist. Although found in the curragh this pair were probably associated with a man-made sod hedge. Furthermore it is believed that a former locality of the species, on road verges and farmland
near the old Ballamona Hospital, just outside Douglas
, the capital of the Isle of Man, have been unknowingly destroyed by road widening and other ribbon development
, as an ecological survey undertaken prior to the building of the new Nobles Hospital failed to locate any specimens despite extensive trapping and surveying. The robber fly still exists at a number of sites throughout the north of the Isle of Man, including The Ayres National Nature Reserve and Manx Wildlife Trust's reserve at Cronk y Bing where it is probably associated with dry sandy conditions (possibly it's larval habitat) and vegetation such as brambles and gorse
which provide perching sites.
Speight noted flourishing colonies
existing along the sandy coasts of the north-east Isle of Man.
, Machimus cowini (Hobby, 1946) is named after the entomologist who discovered the species, W. S. Cowin. The scientific name of the species was once Epitriptus cowini however was renamed Machimus cowini after being placed in the genus Machimus.
of the species is currently unknown, however the Manx Wildlife Trust and Manx National Trust, through the creation of nature reserve
s have saved the habitat
of the robber fly from total destruction.
to celebrate 100 years of the Manx Natural History & Antiquarian Society. Painted by J. H. Nicholson, it depicts the Manx robber fly, and gives its former binomial name Epitriptus cowini. On 1 February 2001 the Isle of Man Post Office again issued a stamp depicting the Manx robber fly, in the series named 'Bugs and Bees', with the value of fifty eight pence.
Asilidae
Insects in the Diptera family Asilidae are commonly called robber flies. The family Asilidae contains about 7,100 described species worldwide....
known throughout the world, and one of 28 asilids known to occur in the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
.
Distribution and habitat
The Manx robber fly was first discovered on the Isle of ManIsle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
in the 1940s, hence the name 'Manx', meaning from the Isle of Man, although this species has been referred to as the Irish robber fly in British Soldierflies and their Allies
British Soldierflies and their allies
British Soldierflies and their allies is a book by Alan E. Stubbs and Martin Drake, published by the British Entomological and Natural History Society in 2001....
. It was originally thought to be endemic to the island but has since also been found across the Irish Sea
Irish Sea
The Irish Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel, and to the Atlantic Ocean in the north by the North Channel. Anglesey is the largest island within the Irish Sea, followed by the Isle of Man...
on sand dunes on the east coast of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. There are no authenticated records from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Speight also found the fly in Germany in 1987 and has identified flies from museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
specimens collected from north Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, northern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
to be M. cowini, not M. cingulatus as formerly believed.
It was first discovered in the curragh
Curragh
The Curragh is a flat open plain of almost 5,000 acres of common land in County Kildare, Ireland, between Newbridge and Kildare. This area is well-known for Irish horse breeding and training. The Irish National Stud is located on the edge of Kildare town, beside the famous Japanese Gardens. Also...
(willow carr/swamp) habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
in the north of Isle of Man and was recorded there again in the mid 1990s when a pair was caught in a pan trap by Steve Crellin, a local entomologist. Although found in the curragh this pair were probably associated with a man-made sod hedge. Furthermore it is believed that a former locality of the species, on road verges and farmland
Arable land
In geography and agriculture, arable land is land that can be used for growing crops. It includes all land under temporary crops , temporary meadows for mowing or pasture, land under market and kitchen gardens and land temporarily fallow...
near the old Ballamona Hospital, just outside Douglas
Douglas, Isle of Man
right|thumb|250px|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright|thumb|250px|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping...
, the capital of the Isle of Man, have been unknowingly destroyed by road widening and other ribbon development
Ribbon development
Ribbon development means building houses along the routes of communications radiating from a human settlement. Such development generated great concern in the United Kingdom during the 1920s and the 1930s, as well as in numerous other countries....
, as an ecological survey undertaken prior to the building of the new Nobles Hospital failed to locate any specimens despite extensive trapping and surveying. The robber fly still exists at a number of sites throughout the north of the Isle of Man, including The Ayres National Nature Reserve and Manx Wildlife Trust's reserve at Cronk y Bing where it is probably associated with dry sandy conditions (possibly it's larval habitat) and vegetation such as brambles and gorse
Gorse
Gorse, furze, furse or whin is a genus of about 20 plant species of thorny evergreen shrubs in the subfamily Faboideae of the pea family Fabaceae, native to western Europe and northwest Africa, with the majority of species in Iberia.Gorse is closely related to the brooms, and like them, has green...
which provide perching sites.
Speight noted flourishing colonies
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
existing along the sandy coasts of the north-east Isle of Man.
Taxonomy
The scientific name of the speciesSpecies
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...
, Machimus cowini (Hobby, 1946) is named after the entomologist who discovered the species, W. S. Cowin. The scientific name of the species was once Epitriptus cowini however was renamed Machimus cowini after being placed in the genus Machimus.
Conservation
The conservation statusConservation status
The conservation status of a group of organisms indicates whether the group is still extant and how likely the group is to become extinct in the near future...
of the species is currently unknown, however the Manx Wildlife Trust and Manx National Trust, through the creation of nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
s have saved the habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
of the robber fly from total destruction.
Miscellaneous
In 1979 the Isle of Man Post Office issued a thirteen pence stampPostage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
to celebrate 100 years of the Manx Natural History & Antiquarian Society. Painted by J. H. Nicholson, it depicts the Manx robber fly, and gives its former binomial name Epitriptus cowini. On 1 February 2001 the Isle of Man Post Office again issued a stamp depicting the Manx robber fly, in the series named 'Bugs and Bees', with the value of fifty eight pence.