Pseudogaurax signatus
(Loew, 1876)
frit fly
Pseudogaurax signatus is a of frit fly in the Chloropidae, first described by Loew in 1876. The species has been documented as a of spider sacs, specifically those of the black and yellow garden spider Argiope aurantia. This parasitic relationship was recorded in a 1993 study by Lockley and Young, which identified P. signatus as one of the chief parasites emerging from A. aurantia egg sacs alongside the ichneumon Tromatopia rufopectus. The species belongs to a that includes other members, with the congeneric species Pseudogaurax paratolmos being the first chloropid fly discovered to parasitize ants.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Pseudogaurax signatus: //suˌdoʊˈɡɔːraks sɪɡˈneɪtəs//
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Host Associations
- Argiope aurantia - of sacs; larvae emerge from egg sacs of this spider
Ecological Role
of spider sacs, contributing to natural of Argiope aurantia. The represents one of the documented associates of spider egg sacs, where it functions as a mortality factor for developing spider eggs.
Similar Taxa
- Pseudogaurax paratolmosCongeneric in the same ; differs in association (parasitizes larvae of Apterostigma dentigerum rather than spider sacs)
- Other Chloropidae-level similarity; most chloropids are not of spiders, making association the key distinguishing feature for P. signatus